Beached Fishing Boat with Figures and Nets on Winter Shore Watercolour Scene

Title: Beached Fishing Boat with Figures and Nets on Winter Shore Watercolour Scene
By Tony Herbert (1927-2024)
Signed: Bottom left
Medium: Watercolor on artists paper
Size: 11 x 15 inches
Condition: good; slight edge curling consistent with unmounted paper, colours remain fresh
Provenance: From a large private collection of this artists work, Oxford, England

Description: In this striking watercolour study, Tony Herbert captures a wintry moment on the British coastline, where a white and red fishing boat sits grounded on a sandy shore, surrounded by fishermen, weathered carts, and coiled nets. The scene is both lively and contemplative — a quiet rhythm of figures working the beach, set against the cool, empty sky of a crisp winter day.

Despite the inscription “WINTER” on the reverse, the palette avoids harshness. Instead, Herbert opts for earthy browns, ochres, and crimson accents, allowing the warmth of the boat’s hull and fishing gear to contrast beautifully with the pale blue wash of the sky. The figures are quickly rendered — some gathered around a trolley or winch, others walking toward the boat — all imbued with motion and narrative through Herbert’s signature economy of line.

This is a strong example of Herbert’s maritime painting, focused less on postcard views and more on the textures of working life: coastal labour, dockside scenes, and sea-worn boats drawn up on shingle or sand. His handling of light and composition evokes the work of Edward Wesson or Eric Ravilious, but with a looser, more intuitive brush.

Ideal for collectors of British seascapes, fishing heritage art, and seasonal coastal landscapes, this piece works beautifully in rustic or nautical-inspired interiors, particularly where there’s an appreciation for quiet realism and lived-in character.