This early 20th-century watercolour by British artist Henry M Terry (1854-c.1920) depicts an elderly fisherman.
Terry’s body of work is brimming with characters: dapper old gentlemen brush top hats on Sunday mornings, doting grandfathers look lovingly towards their kin, and melodic families gather for impromptu music recitals. It’s a veritable Dickensian novel.
And here, in this piece from around 1900, we see a wily old fisherman puffing away on a pipe as he considers his next story. Referred to as ‘old salts’, these sea-worn elderly mariners were famed for their tales of the ocean. It’s said that each generation passed their stories on to the next, and perhaps added their own flourishes after each telling. The term ‘old salt’ relates to the salinity of the sea and was first recorded in around 1830.
Signed in the lower right and framed.
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Overall size: 13½” x 17½” / 35cm x 44cm
Year of creation: c. 1900
Provenance: Private collection, Eng
...land.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Mount with slight discolouration. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £3,700
British artist Henry M Terry was primarily known for charming portraits and genre scenes in watercolours but he also produced works in oil. His works were shown at numerous venues including at the Royal Academy and Royal Society of British Artists. A press report described him as a “staunch upholder of naturalistic methods” who painted with “care and fidelity”.
Learn more about Henry M Terry in our directory.
Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA1040197
Dateline of this antique is 1900
Height is 44cm (17.3inches)Width is 35cm (13.8inches)Depth is 2cm (0.8inches)
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