This early 20th-century oil painting by British artist Walter Henry Sweet (1889-1943) depicts a view along Fish Street in St Ives, Cornwall.
A rustic array of brickwork and cobbles guides the eye between jutting buildings and out towards a sailboat. The narrowing view punctuated by an older gentleman gradually climbing the hill.
Hailing from Exeter in Devon, Sweet often pitched his easel in sunny St Ives, capturing the beauty of its effervescent light and the daily toil of its fishing community. One can imagine him chatting with the locals while sketching on the winding streets.
His Cornish works are particularly abundant with joy and, as such, quite poignant as shortly after producing them he encountered the horrors of World War I. It’s said that, following the War, his mental welfare suffered to such an extent that it halted his artistic career.
So when we look back upon these scenes of simple pleasure, it reminds us of the numerous artists that were cut short in their prime.
Signed lower left and held within its original gilt frame.
Medium: Watercolour
Overall size: 14” x 18” / 35cm x 45cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Labels & Inscriptions: Inscribed with name and title on the mount.
Condition: Artwork presents well. A few minor marks on the mount. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £1,400
Walter Henry Sweet studied at the Exeter School of Art.
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