Ramsey Harbour and Market
Date made: 1890-1920
Artist: Southern, John M.
Description: Whilst Douglas Harbour and North Quay was a popular haunt for Manx and visiting artists, far fewer works depict Ramsey and its harbour. 'Ramsey Harbour and Market' is therefore an important artistic record of what the quayside and fish market probably looked like at the end of the 19th century.
Southern’s painting has an almost naïve style about it, but this could also be said to be part of its charm as well. Although it has been painted with a very heavy and textured brushstroke and with very bright and garish colours, it provides a wealth of historic detail about Ramsey quayside.
The painting contains a series of stories. There are the boats, the houses, the fish market, the cattle and a vast assortment of characters such as farmers, the fishwife, children and dogs. There are men idling by the boats, farmers selling cattle and an obvious courting couple. Southern has provided a narrative snapshot of life on Ramsey quayside.
Measurements: unframed artwork: 48 cm x 72 cm
Materials: oil on canvas
Object name: painting
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 1970-0100
Subject tags : Isle of Man