Art in 'Planet Ocean' - Part Two

1

Nudes Sleeping on a Beach by Lionel Ellis

Artist Lionel Ellis (1903-1988) studied at Plymouth School of Art from 1918-1922 and the Royal College of Art from 1922-1924. He also won a travelling scholarship which took him to Paris and Italy. A little later in life, from 1937-1968, he lectured in painting at the Wimbledon School of Art.

Ellis was a painter, wood engraver and modeller, as well as a teacher, and specialised in portraits, equestrian and floral subjects. He also painted some self-portraits and classical scenes.

A number of his paintings feature nudes. The streamlined yet vibrant colour palette and style of this one are typical of his work. The three female figures lying by an imaginary shore with a large seashell and two starfish at their feet look at peace, although they don’t represent the reality many women faced at the time this painting was made.

2

Sport on the Shore by Harold C Harvey

This delightful oil painting by Harold C Harvey (1874-1941) was painted around 1890 and acquired in 1964. One of his early works, it shows two boys wearing hats lying on a jetty as they watch two crabs. A group of small children paddle in the sea behind them.

Harvey was one of the few Cornish-born artists associated with the Newlyn and Lamorna Schools – groups of artists who settled in West Cornwall from the late 1800s, turning the area into an artistic haven. He was the son of a bank manager, the eldest of eight children and grew up in Penzance.

Before the First World War, his works mainly depicted scenes of the local fishing and agricultural communities. As his work matured, he began to use brighter colours and simpler compositions.

In total he created over 700 paintings. His ability to make works in a wide range of subjects from interiors, portraits and outdoor scenes to religious themes and industrial landscapes brought him a great deal of recognition.

3

Crab by Robert Wallace Martin

There’s a lot more to this humorous looking piece of 19th century studio pottery than meets the eye. In fact, it’s so rare that The Box raised nearly a quarter of a million pounds from five key funders to acquire it.

It measures almost half a metre long and features grinning eyes, a curling moustache, a cropped beard and a big smile of uneven teeth. It was made in June 1880 by Robert Wallace Martin (1843-1923) and is the earliest, largest surviving sculpture by him in the UK.

Robert Wallace Martin, Walter Martin (1857-1912), Edwin Martin (1860-1915) and Charles Martin (1860-1910), collectively known as the Martin Brothers, are considered the first art potters of Britain and excelled as designers and makers.

Robert had trained as a sculptor and was the most experimental. From 1880, his imagination ran wild as he created strange monsters and birds. His ‘grotesques’ and other works fused specimens from nature with human features. Some critics described his work as ‘truly terrifying’. Others were kinder and called them ‘pleasingly ugly’.

4

Shaking out the Nets by Wyn George

This dynamic painting was gifted to the city’s art collection in 1952 by Nancy Astor. It shows four fishermen hard at work in their wet-weather gear at night – most likely gathering herring.

Artist Wyn George (1910-1985) was Head of Art at Devonport High School for Boys from 1948-1974 and President of the Plymouth Society of Artists from 1951-1971. He was married to Beryl, also an artist, and they lived and had a studio in nearby Ivybridge.

In the 1950s, George was commissioned to paint a mural in the former Central Library building and another for Plymouth Guildhall. The library mural which depicts Westcountry folklore has been restored and is now a focal point in the Simmons Learning Room at The Box. Shaking out the Nets is very similar in look and feel to both murals with its bright colours, graphic style and strong contrast between light and dark.

Planet Ocean is on show until the end of 27 April 2025. The exhibition is open 10am-5pm Tuesday to Sunday and selected bank holidays. Entry is free. Did you miss our first post about the artworks that are on show? Read it here.