Little Thornwick Bay near Flamborough Head, by William Henry Millais (1828-1899). 1861. Watercolour and gouache on paper. 10 ½ x 16 ½ inches (26.7 x 42 cm). Private collection. Image courtesy of Bonhams.
Little Thornwick Bay near Flamborough Head. Watercolour and gouache on paper. 11 x 18 ¾ inches (28 x 47.5 cm). Private collection. Image courtesy of Sotheby's, London.
Little Thornwick Bay is a stunningly picturesque beach just north of Flamborough on the coast of East Yorkshire that is bounded by the North Sea. The cliffs in this area are made of chalk that has been eroded over time by the sea, in places creating caves. The Flamborough Headland is full of such caves. Millais has chosen to focus his attention on a magnificent sea arch to the left and, in the midground, the cliffs with their caves on the eastern part of Little Thornwick Bay. Rocks covered with seaweed are in the foreground. The scenery obviously impressed him sufficiently that he did two watercolours of this particular view from slightly different perspectives and with quite different palettes. The first features purplish tones while in the second green is the predominant colour. In the first watercolour a young fisherman can be seen in the right foreground and there are boats present in the bay.
Bibliography
Fine British and Continental Watercolours and Drawings. London: Bonhams (March 7, 2006): lot 97, 38. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/13802/lot/97/
British and Continental Pictures. London: Sotheby's (11 May 2005); lot 77.
Created 13 November 2024