Oil Painting by Lucy Pratt Titled 'Magenta Shade'

Beyond the tree lies a tranquil bay painted in rich ultramarine and turquoise tones. Short, broken brushstrokes suggest the movement of sunlight across the water, while several small white boats float quietly at anchor, reinforcing the calm, leisurely mood.

Across the harbour sits a compact coastal village of whitewashed buildings with warm ochre roofs nestled at the foot of steep hills. At its centre rises a white church with a slender bell tower, acting as the visual focal point and giving the settlement both rhythm and identity. The surrounding mountains are painted in warm russets, golds, and olive greens, with cool blue shadows describing their contours and adding depth to the landscape.

The foreground shoreline is painted in creamy yellows and sandy ochres, punctuated by touches of crimson, violet, and green that suggest wildflowers or sunlit vegetation. These colours echo those in the tree and hills, creating a harmonious palette that unifies the composition.

Lucy Pratt's handling of paint is confident and economical. She avoids intricate detail, instead building the image through distinct patches of colour and lively brushstrokes. This approach recalls aspects of Post-Impressionism and Fauvism, where colour is used as much to convey feeling as to describe the landscape accurately. The painting prioritises the sensation of bright Mediterranean light and warmth over photographic realism.

The signature in the lower left corner appears as the artist's initials, painted in white against the blue water, remaining unobtrusive while balancing the composition.

Overall, the painting evokes the quiet charm of a coastal village on a clear summer day. Its vibrant colours, decorative composition, and expressive paint handling create an image that feels both joyful and serene, capturing not simply a location but the experience of standing beneath the shade of a tree and looking out across a sunlit harbour.

Measurements are; 24 inches x 24 inches x 1.75 inches deep

Lucy Pratt is a figurative painter of ordinary people and extraordinary places. From her home in the Cotswolds to the temples of India and all around the globe, her paintings take us on a wonderous journey, capturing the everyday and the unexpected with an expressive intensity that reveals the inherent beauty of our shared existence.

Over her thirty-year career, Lucy’s affectionate eye for humanity and the natural world has made her one of the UK’s leading contemporary artists. She continues to exhibit internationally and to travel for inspiration.

We do have several paintings by this known artist in stock at present. All paintings can be viewed at our showroom in Blockley.

We are able to deliver to any UK address which is included in the asking price. Worldwide shipping is a pleasure; please ask for a quote.

Thank you for looking

Regards

Chris