Nicholas Percy Fox, Tranquil Seascape With Sunset & Fishing Boats

Nicholas Percy Fox, Tranquil Seascape With Sunset & Fishing BoatsThis tranquil early 20th century seascape by Nicholas Percy Fox (1870 c. 1943) is a masterclass in subtle gradients to create mood. The last rays of the evening sun drift behind clouds, producing a deep orange glow through wispy verticals. A ships sail, near silhouetted, juts through the layers drawing emphasis to the shifting tones. The work is reminiscent of the tonalists who sought to convey a mood by paring down a composition. They often used

His work was widely exhibited during his lifetime and he was awarded the Academy Art Prize twice along with the first class annual medal in 1895

an old lighthouse

The portrait is housed within an appropriate frame from the late-19th-century

Edward Williams (1781–1855)

Studies such as this are often more fascinating than finished works as they provide insight into the artist’s process and approach

500 achieved for a still life at Sotheby’s in 1996

she found herself having to support her family by becoming the editor of popular art magazine

Note the various layers - from the stony sand underfoot

At some point in its life

the notebook is held slightly open by a pencil

it’s near-impossible to track down definitive information via ancestry records

Joseph Thraves was self-taught and a particularly good draughtsman