Charles Greville Morris (1861-1922) - 19th Century Oil Smugglers in Moonlight

Description

This late 19th century atmospheric landscape oil depicts a dramatic coastal scene with moored vessels along a sandy shore beneath a turbulent sky. You can just make out a small smuggler's boat emerging from a cove on the shoreline. The composition is dominated by richly rendered amber and ochre tones in the landscape, which contrast beautifully with the brooding grey storm clouds that break to reveal luminous passages of light across the water. Signed the lower right. Well presented in a gilt effect frame. On canvas on stretchers.

Condition

The condition is consistent with a work of this age, with minor surface dirt visible. There are historic stretcher bar marks apparent to the canvas, along with areas of fine craquelure across the paint surface. The frame shows minor marks and scuffs commensurate with age and handling.

Size

44 x 34cm (17.3" x 13.4")
Framed Size: 54 x 45cm (21.3" x 17.7")

Artist Biography

Charles Greville Morris (born 1861, Lancashire) was a Manchester-based landscape painter known for his atmospheric depictions of the British and French countryside. He pursued his artistic training in Paris, studying under M. M. Bollinger, Collin, and Courtois, where he developed a refined approach to landscape painting influenced by continental naturalism. Between 1886 and 1894, Morris exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts and other venues, showing exclusively landscape subjects. Notable exhibited works include Winter in Finistère (1887), Thistledown (1889), and Evening, Cornwall (1890), which reflect his sensitivity to light, season, and atmosphere. After 1892, he settled in St Ives, aligning himself with the growing artistic community there and continuing to paint coastal and rural scenes.