Artwork
Brixham Harbour
Brixham Harbour is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Stanislaus Soutten Longley. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Brixham Harbour is a 1940 watercolour by Stanislaus Soutten Longley, created as part of the Recording Britain project.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene Brixham Harbour scene, with small boats moored at the dock, surrounded by buildings and trees. The calm water reflects the boats' hulls, conveying a sense of stillness.
Technique & Style
Longley's watercolour features muted colours, including blues, browns, and grays, with touches of red. The style is characterized by soft shapes and simple representations of the boats and their sails.
History & Provenance
The work was produced under the Recording Britain initiative, a wartime project led by Sir Kenneth Clark to document Britain's landscapes and architecture. The project employed 97 artists, resulting in over 1,500 works.
Context
The Recording Britain project aimed to preserve a visual record of Britain's heritage during the Second World War, amid concerns about bomb damage and rapid change.
Artist & collection
Artist
Stanislaus Soutten Longley painted soft, light-soaked watercolours of coastal scenes in the mid-20th century.
