Gathering seaweed

Richard Beavis (1824-1896) was a landscape and coastal painter, also known for his depiction of animals in his works. Going against the wishes of his family, Beavis pursued his artistic ambitions when he moved to London in 1864 and entered the Government School of Design at Somerset House. In 1850 he became a designer for the decorating firm Messrs Trollope; the designs he produced there were his first works to be exhibited at the Royal Academy.

After focusing on working in oils and watercolour, he continued to exhibit successfully at the Royal Academy and other venues for the remainder of his career. He lived in Boulogne, France, in 1867-68, and travelled as far as Egypt over the years. The foreign landscapes he produced in these locations became popular with English audiences. Beavis, however, often blurred the line between the landscape genre and figure subjects, frequently depicting peasants, workers and soldiers in elaborately worked out sceneries.

Gathering Seaweed is a coastal landscape displaying the collaboration between people and animals. Farm animals, especially horses, were acknowledged as helpers in the development of civilisation and modernity. Though the horse in this work is not actively helping in gathering the seaweed, its participation is implied by the big cart to the left, which it will surely have to pull later on. It is also a very atmospheric landscape: two thirds of the composition consist entirely of sky and clouds, and the cold, windy condition is indicated through the horse’s mane and blanket being blown to the side.