Sujet

The Beacon, by J. Absolon, in the Exhibition of the Institute of Painters in Water Colours, 1864. Creator: W Thomas.

Légende

The Beacon, by J. Absolon, in the Exhibition of the Institute of Painters in Water Colours, 1864. Engraving of a painting. 'For what, or for whom, has this buxom, comely lass brought her torch, all alone, to this desolate spot; for whom, or for what, with dilated eyes that bicker so brightly in the torch flare, is she...gazing so vehemently into the gathering shades of a...storm-portending night?...this is evidently a humble domestic beacon-light, not a fire to alarm and rouse a nation. Moreover, the venue is plainly...eagerly longed for, not dreaded; and it is fixed on the French...shore, as we infer from the costume - the jacket, the short, striped petticoat, and blue though not literary stockings worn by our heroine. Is this Normandy matelotte, then, looking out for and trying to guide safely to the haven of home a fisherman father, husband, brother, or lover, who has been...overtaken by bad weather?...it is much more probable that the painter intended to represent the wife, sweetheart, or relative of a French smuggler, who, thus fearful and anxious, has come at night to some harbourless part of the coast with her torch, the lighting of which is the preconcerted signal for running on shore with a cargo of English cotton or calico prints'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Notre référence

HRM24A26_148

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

26,7Mo (2,9Mo) / 21,2cm x 31,5cm / 2508 x 3716 (300dpi)

Mots clés

sea coast female women woman people beach arts painting coastal light night country French France dark art burning fire flame flames British geography color darkness location century beacon Britain torch signal newspapers press picture print concept searching pictures signalling time of day B&W engraved engraving smuggling looking For Colour 19th century black & white black and white B W white and black smuggler nineteenth century The Print Collector geographical feature Illustrated London News ILN John Absolon newspaper flaming torch young women young woman W Thomas Thomas W 19th-century Absolon John W. Thomas Thomas W.