William Webb, Peel Harbour, Isle of Man, 1890s, Oil Painting, Framed

William Edward Webb.
English ( b.1862 - d.1903 ).
Peel Harbour, Isle Of Man.
Oil On Canvas.
Signed Lower Left.
Image size 21.5 inches x 37.4 inches ( 54.5cm x 95cm ).
Frame size 33.5 inches x 49.8 inches ( 85cm x 126.5cm ).

Available for sale from Big Sky Fine Art in the English county of Dorset, this original oil painting is by the English marine artist William Edward Webb and dates from the 1890s.
The painting is presented and supplied in its original frame (which is shown in these photographs) fitted with new fixtures.
The frame and the painted surface of the canvas has benefitted from restoration, cleaning and conservation, all of which was performed on our instruction, supervision and approval.
This antique painting is now in very good condition. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display.
The painting is signed lower left.

William Edward Webb was an English Victorian artist who specialised in coastal scenes from around the British Isles. His work has found particular recognition in recent years.

The son of William Benjamin Webb and Ellen Butler, he was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1862. His father was an artist, and it is likely that he received tuition from him at an early age. Following the death of his mother his father re-married and the family moved to Manchester, where William lived for the rest of his life.

Webb initially set up his studio in Exchange Buildings in Manchester and was working full time as an artist by the 1880s. He first exhibited at the Manchester Art Gallery in 1890 and went on to show more than 60 paintings there during his lifetime. He also exhibited with the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and three times at the Royal Academy in London. Respected by his peers, he was elected an Associate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Manchester in 1889.

In 1899 Webb married Clara Foster and they had a daughter, Florrie. The family lived in Chorlton Upon Medlock in South Manchester, although Webb travelled extensively as he increasingly specialised in coastal art. He is known to have painted in Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Gloucestershire, Northumbria, Dorset and Hampshire. He was particularly fond of the Isle of Man where he spent a great deal of time, and he painted the harbours there with the insight of a local.

Webb tended to work in oils, and his style was flowing and detailed. He showed a real mastery of the sea, which he usually depicted as vibrant and active and his use of light is exceedingly realistic. His works are a testament to the hard lives of the people who made their living from the coast, particularly the sailors and fishing families. He portrayed their lives with dignity and without being overly romantic or showing false glamour.

Sadly, Webb struggled with ill health and depression for much of his life and this led to his suicide on 9th November 1903.

Although Webb had an impressive output during his life and saw some modest success commercially, his paintings have become more popular since his death. The author Denys Brook-Hart appreciated Webb as an artist and organised a large retrospective exhibition of his works in 1974 at the Old Customs House and Old Solent House Galleries in Lymington, Hampshire. Since then, his works have gained increased recognition and value.

Webb’s original works are now highly sought after and are represented in many collections and museums including the Tuille House Museum, Astley Hall Museum, Harris Museum, Manchester Art Gallery, Manx Museum, Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art and Shipley Art Gallery.

This original oil on canvas painting by William Webb is signed by the artist in the lower left corner. It depicts a busy scene in Peel Harbour on the Isle of Man. Webb’s mastery of coastal scenes is evident in the detailed portrayal of boats resting on the shore at low tide, with the calm waters of the Irish Sea in the background. The composition features a quaint harbour village with stone houses and fishing boats scattered along the dock. The earthy tones of the harbour, combined with the soft blues of the sky and sea, create a tranquil, almost nostalgic atmosphere.
Webb skilfully contrasts the rugged textures of the harbour with the smooth expanse of the horizon, where distant ships sail across the serene waters. The painting exudes a peaceful yet industrious atmosphere, typical of a coastal town where the ebb and flow of tides dictate daily life. This piece is a classic representation of 19th-century British marine art, capturing both the charm and the working nature of harbours like Peel.
The subtle lighting, soft cloud formations, and attention to detail in both architecture and maritime elements make this artwork a significant example of William Webb’s talent in Victorian seascape painting.