Ocean : Observation 1

“The opening of the New Eddystone Lighthouse by H.R.H, The Duke of Edinburgh K.G. May 18th 1882”, by Henry Andrews Luscombe.

An ocean scene in oil on canvas and sized at 60.8 cm by 91.5 cm. Currently shown at the Levinsky Gallery at the University of Plymouth, UK. The exhibition, ‘ocean’, explores connections between humanity and the history of the ocean (available 16/09/23 - 16/12/23.)

This rectangular piece has no border and is held in a gold frame. The frame details are intricate, traditional curves. Inside of the frame there is black text, “The OPENING of the NEW EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE by H.R.H, The DUKE of EDINBURGH K.G. MAY 18th 1882”. Altering capital and lowercase letters emphasises key details. This technique attracts attention due to the inconsistency in appearance, the capital sections stand out.

The clouds, dark and top highlighted, stretch across the canvas indicating wind . The sky appears soft due to these lighter sections. The lower portion of sky is darkest, matching darker sections of water creates a sense of distance between the audience and the lighthouse. The water is a mix of dark blues, grey and green rough brushstrokes; These meet corresponding lighter tones create strong waves. The top of the water shows less waves.