Purple sky and leaden sea with ship

Date made: 1884-1933

Artist: Knox, Archibald

Description: A minimalist but still atmospheric watercolour by Archibald Knox (1864-1933) depicting a coastal scene where the heavy purple grey skies sit above a thin line of pink which may represent the coming dawn or the last rays of the sinking sun. The exact location of the scene is unknown but it may be a view along the south eastern coast of England, possibly at Barton, which was a popular location for Knox to paint. 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.