Slieau Whallian, Patrick, Isle of Man

Date made: 1884-1933

Artist: Knox, Archibald

Description: A stark but minimalist watercolour by Archibald Knox (1864-1933) of Slieau Whallian, painted in solid blocks of colour. This is an unusual view of the dramatic hillside overlooking the village of St Johns and its patchwork pattern of fields as it is now covered on one side by a forestry plantation.

Knox's watercolour sketches can be seen as exercises in capturing the light and a single moment in time. The artist is said to have painted his watercolour scenes in a few hours or less, but that he would also sit for hours waiting for the exact light and cloud formations that he wanted to paint.

Measurements: unframed artwork: 44 cm x 58 cm

Materials: watercolour on paper

Photograph and description courtesy of Manx National Heritage via the link at imuseum.im.