Dour but hearty men
sail the bay's capricious tides -
luggers drift like seals.
Off to the Fishing Grounds (by Stanhope Forbes)
This painting shows the Cornishmen of Newlyn at work as they set off on the rather flimsy boat (by our modern standards) to find the closely guarded locations of the best fishing grounds.
Fishing was one hell of a dangerous job in the 19th century, and in this painting, Forbes shows the men on a lugger, a traditional fishing boat.
From an artist's perspective, Alexander Forbes liked Newlyn because of the wonderful light and the chance to live among the subjects of his paintings.
Although stylised, Forbes work followed the realism model of trying to capture a scene in motion (probably sketched in the first instance) to later add details to capture the feeling using colour and perspective.
In this picture, you can see the young boy waving to other boats of the fleet as (perhaps) his proud father looks on. The other fishermen lean out over the side balancing against the tack or working the ropes.
It is a simple painting but captures a pure moment of a culture that has all but disappeared. Although some Cornish Folk still take small boats such as these out fishing for pleasure, they are no longer the mainstay of a whole industry.
This is what I love about the Realism movement of art, especially when done well. It gives us a picture of a long-forgotten world, at a time when cameras were either in their infancy or not yet invented.
A Brief History of Stanhope Alexander Forbes
The artist Stanhope Alexander Forbes lived between 1857–1947 and was born in Dublin, Ireland. He married a Cornish lass in the summer of 1889 who was a fellow painter called Elizabeth Armstrong at Newlyn's St Peter's Church. They quickly moved into their first at the "Cliffs Castle" cottage, which overlooked the sea.
This rather romantic beginning forged Stanhope Alexander Forbes love of the area, and he founded the Newlyn School of Art with his wife, which lasted until 1938. He lived his whole life in the area of Newlyn, painting many works of the surrounding area, but also having travelled further afield before he met Elizabeth Armstrong (and settled in Newlyn) painting works in France and particularly Brittany with fellow artist H. H. La Thangue.
The Walker Art Gallery
I recently visited the Walker Art Gallery with my girlfriend. During the three hours we spent there I took many pictures and wrote Haiku poems inspired by the art that had grabbed my attention.
Art galleries have a strange effect on me. I always find myself drawn into a meditative place by the quiet of the gallery and the impact of the art.
I am always this way in any gallery... names don't impress me. I could walk past a Picasso (although I do like Picasso) to sit and write in response to an unknown artist's work if it caught my eye and senses. I find it hard to explain, but it is like a force that draws me to certain paintings.
Although I was drawn to some of the world-famous works that the gallery holds, such as the Pre Raphelite, 'Echo and Narcissus' by John William Waterhouse, my eye was equally as drawn to the painting 'Off to the Fishing Grounds' (by Stanhope Forbes).
If you are visiting Liverpool I fully recommend you visit the Walker Art Gallery (the link takes you to a Google Maps location of the gallery).
Whether you're looking for world-famous artists' original oil on canvas paintings - or fancy checking out some more modern art (as they host the Liverpool John Moores Art Prize Collection) - there is something for every art lover.
Thanks for reading 🙂🌿
To read more about the aesthetics of true haiku, and the difference between haiku and senryu, please check out my post: Haiku Vs Senryu - The Aesthetics of Form
All images in this post are my own property, taken at The Walker Art Gallery or Creative Commons License.
Camera used - Samsung S7 Smartphone
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