1981 Watercolour of Axmouth East Devon with Boats, Red Roofs and Estuary View

Title: 1982 Watercolour of Newton Ferrers Devon with Boats, Hills and Coastal Cottages
By Tony Herbert (1927-2024)
Medium: Watercolor on artists paper
Size: 11 x 12.75 inches
Annotated: “Axmouth. E. Devon. Sept. 81”
Condition: very good; subtle foxing and natural edge wear consistent with age
Provenance: From a large private collection of this artists work, Oxford, England

Description: This expressive 1981 watercolour by Tony Herbert captures the picturesque village of Axmouth, located in East Devon near Seaton and the mouth of the River Axe. Known for its estuary setting, red-roofed buildings and traditional fishing boats, Axmouth is a quiet coastal hamlet rich in history — and Herbert paints it with warmth and immediacy.

The composition features a line of bright white cottages with russet roofs lining the midground, their chimneys silhouetted against a striking September sky. In the foreground, small boats sit at low tide on the estuary mudflats, their forms loosely rendered in ochre, blue and red. Subtle brush textures suggest tufts of grass and shifting sand, while the horizon stretches toward a distant headland and soft atmospheric cloud.

The handwritten inscription on the front, “Axmouth. E. Devon. Sept. 81,” confirms the date and location — offering not only provenance but a seasonal context that enhances the golden, late-summer palette.

Tony Herbert (1927–2024) was a prolific British watercolourist who devoted the latter half of his life to recording towns, villages and coastal views across England and Europe. This painting is typical of his East Devon works — lively, well-observed and grounded in real places.

Ideal for collectors of Devon estuary landscapes, South West England coastal scenes, or those seeking vintage depictions of Axmouth and Seaton. A quietly captivating piece of local charm.