This late 19th-century oil painting by English artist William Anslow Thornbery (1847-1907) depicts fishing vessels off the harbour at Whitby, Yorkshire.
Several fishing boats battle the elements - the waves are battering the hulls. On our left, the pale cliffs rise, meeting the clouded sky. We're almost at water level, adding a further dynamic to this bustling view.
In the foreground, a small rowing boat contains five fishermen. One standing, braced against the elements, another hauling a net into the sea. Around them, the green-grey waves are crested with white foam, as gulls descend towards the turbulence.
On the right, lug-rigged vessels push through the swell, their tan sails patched and irregular, catching the uneven wind. Thornbery has captured these convincingly - their weight connecting with the surface. It's interesting that he's opted for a loose triangular composition with a mast at the apex.
In the distance, further interest is added via the receding sails of additional distant craft.
And let's not forget that sky. It's built in soft, layered greys and muted blues, scumbled lightly, suggesting shifting North Sea weather. This was an artist who understood the elements.
Whitby was a long journey from his home in Gravesend, but the railway made it accessible. His daughter was painting during this later stage of his career, in a similar style, and it's interesting to consider whether he took her along.
By 1895, Whitby stood at a fascinating intersection of eras. It was no longer the great shipbuilding port of its late 18th-century heyday, yet it remained deeply maritime. It was a town where the smell of tar, salt, and coal smoke mingled with the brisk air.
The harbour was still its beating heart. Fishing was hard and often perilous work. Crews brought in herring, cod, haddock and crab, unloading at the quays before dawn markets. Coal vessels also moved through.
For a marine painter, it offered everything - masts and funnels against changing skies, reflections in tidal water, and harsh North Sea light breaking through low clouds.
One gets the impression that Thornbery enjoyed these forays along the British coastline and almost certainly worked directly from nature. His brushwork carries a lively quality, as if he's asking us to sit alongside him awhile and watch the ever-changing effects of light unfold.
The painting dates to circa 1890-1905, which is evidenced by both the subject matter and the canvas itself. The lug-rigged fishing boats seen here were still active during this period, and their form aligns with late 19th-century Yorkshire cobles and inshore craft. In addition, the stretcher construction visible on the reverse appears consistent with late 19th-century machine-cut timber supports.
Held in a late 19th-century carved gilt frame with scrolling acanthus ornament, foliate corners and a continuous relief border.
Learn more about William Anslow Thornbery in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 25” x 17” / 63cm x 43cm
Year of creation: c. 1895
Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Condition: Cleaned. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame in excellent condition.
Artist’s auction maximum: £10,500 for ‘Moonlit Docks/Sunset on the Banks’, Oil on canvas (2), Sotheby's, The Marine Sale, London, 14 December 2006 (lot 68).
Our reference: BRV2263
