Port St Mary Harbour
Date made: 1879
Artist: Nicholson, John Miller
Description: Oil painting of Port St Mary breakwater, with fishing boats in the foreground by John Miller Nicholson. This painting represents Nicholson's artistic style prior to his trip to Italy in 1882, which focuses more on capturing detail rather than the more impressionistic style he developed later in his career. Nicholson had an affinity for the sea and maritime scenes which he seemed to have inherited from his grandfather, who was a mariner and owner of three brigs in Whitehaven.
John Miller Nicholson is known as the Island’s greatest painter. He spent most of his life obsessively recording the world and people around him with detailed sketches. Following a trip to Venice in 1882, on the advice of John Ruskin, Nicholson’s work became more impressionistic, a style he would develop through the rest of his career. His self-effacing and non-commercial attitude meant that his work is little known outside the Island today.
Following his death, the entire of Nicholson’s studio collection of artworks were purchased and donated to the Manx Museum. When the Museum opened in 1922 its art collections comprised mostly of Nicholson pieces. We have over 1,000 artworks by Nicholson, including pencil sketches, photographs, watercolours and oil canvases. We also have his camera equipment and artist's easel.
Measurements: unframed artwork: 44 cm x 29 cm
Materials: oil on canvas
Object name: painting
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 1964-0045
Subject tags : #artgalleryplace