“Ribbed and Paled by Rocks Unscaleable and Roaring Waters” by Peter Graham, R.A. (1836-1921)

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Ribbed and Paled by Rocks Unscaleable and Roaring Waters

Peter Graham, R.A., R.S.A. (1836-1921)

1885

Oil on canvas

158 x 133 cm

Collection: Guildhall Art Gallery

Accession no. 1045

Acquisition method: purchased 1926

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Photograph by Jacqueline Banerjee.

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The title comes from Act III of Shakespeare's Cymbeline, in the first scene of which the Queen reminds her son Cloten of England's strength: wanting Britain to be independent of Rome, she talks of

The natural bravery of your isle, which stands
As Neptune's park, ribbed and paled in
With rocks unscalable and roaring waters,
With sands that will not bear your enemies' boats,
But suck them up to the topmast.

When this painting was displayed as part of the "Victorians Decoded" exhibition in 2016, it was cleverly used to illustrate the difficulties that cable engineers faced in laying and maintaining the undersea cables. But it was also noted in the gallery label that, in referencing this particular play, Graham may have been showing his anti-Imperialism — that is, his objections to Britain's Imperialist designs in the 1880s, notably in "the scramble for Africa." This is a moot point, because although Britain defies Rome in Act III, in the end Cymbeline submits, and in his last speech values a peaceful relationship over independence: "let / A Roman and a British ensign wave/ Friendly together."

Given that the play was very popular in Victorian times, the title was probably chosen simply to describe the craggy coastline in familiar Shakespearean terms. Both the sky and the rocks are grey and threatening, but the gannets, cormorants and possibly other birds on the rocky ledges, as well as the white froth of the turbulent waters, greatly enliven the scene.

Created 16 March 2019