The Ness, Teignmouth, Devon by Thomas Armstrong, 1904. Oil on canvas; 14¼ x 19¼ inches (36 x 49 cm). Collection of Teignmouth & Shaldon Museum: Teign Heritage, accession no. TEGNM.2072.
The Ness is the red sandstone rocky outcrop seen in the right background in this painting by Armstrong. Teignmouth is a seaside town and fishing port in the county of Devon situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign. The town became a more easily accessible resort for holiday visitors during Victorian times following the opening of the South Devon Railway in 1846. This painting appears to be a view overlooking the beach at Teignmouth with The Ness dominating the midground. The English Channel is to the left of the composition. A family of peacocks occupies the right foreground.
Teignmouth was obviously a holiday resort that Armstrong enjoyed visiting over many years, not only because of its favourable climate, but because he could visit with his fiends, and later in-laws, the Brines. L. M. Lamont recalled about Armstrong in 1876: "In the autumn he stayed at Shaldon, Teignmouth, sketching and boating, part of the time as guest to Colonel and Mrs. Brine" (39). The Brines were friends of long standing whom Armstrong had first met when both were on holiday at Henley-on-Thames in the summer of 1866, shortly after the Brines returned form India. Armstrong was later to marry their daughter. Lamont stated about Armstrong in 1880: "In December he went to Shaldon, Teignmouth, and did a good deal of work there, though his interest was not, just now, absorbed in his painting, his engagement to Miss Alice Brine following very shortly on this Devon visit" (46). Armstrong married Alice in April 1881 in Paris. The Armstrongs thereafter paid yearly visits, usually in the winter, to nearby Torquay in Devon to visit Alice's parents who had retired there. Colonel Brine died in May 1910. If this work was painted in 1904 it was after Armstrong retired from his teaching post at the South Kensington School of Art but obviously Armstrong continued to paint for his own pleasure even though he had ceased to exhibit.
Bibliography
Lamont, L. M. Thomas Armstrong, C.B. A Memoir. London: Martin Secker, 1912.
Created 19 March 2023