The Garrison Walk, St Mary's by John Brett ARA (1831-1902). Oil on board; inscribed and dated 'Scilly July 9 '73'. 7 x 13 3/4 inches Provenance: Probably Mrs William Harris; Phillips, Solihull 17 Feb 1999 (lot 60); with tlie Royal Exchange Gallery; Private collection. Exhibited: The City of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Loan Collection of Paintings in Oil and Watercolour by Living British Marine Artists, 1894, no. 96; The Royal Exchange Gallery, Oct-Nov 1999
According to The Maas Gallery catalogue,
This is a view from the Garrison Walk on St Mary's in the Scilly Isles. looking north-west towards (from left to right) Samson, Bryher ar Tresco.
The 1873 summer campaign was one of the most extended and ambitious of Brett's career. Brett, his wife Mary and their two children (there were five more yet to come) set off from London on 17th June and by 24th were on a ship for the Scilly Isles. This took courage, as both the packet boats on the Scilly run had been lost the previous year and the Isles had no lifeboat until 1874. They stayed on St Mary's until the end of July, Brett made several sketches, and did preliminary work around St Mary's harbour for his main Royal Academy picture of 1874, Summer Noon in the Scilly Isles. [p. 45]
Details
Bibliography
The Maas Gallery. Exhibition catalogue. London, 2008. No. 42.
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Last modified 12 June 2020