Crete Harbour Beached Fishing Boat Greek Island Scene Mounted Watercolour

Title: Crete Harbour Beached Fishing Boat Greek Island Scene Mounted Watercolour
by John Steane (b.1931)
Size: 10.75 inches (height) x 13.75 inches (width) including mounting
watercolor painting on paper, unframed
condition: Good
Provenance: from a large private collection of this artists work, Oxford, England

Description:
A vivid and expressive watercolour painting by British artist John Steane (b.1931), this piece captures a quiet moment in a harbour on the island of Crete. A traditional wooden fishing boat sits grounded in the shallows, its blue hull weathered with time and salt, while ropes and netting trail into the water and across the stony foreground. A lush green shoreline rises behind, and a soft Mediterranean sky stretches overhead, giving the scene a sense of tranquillity and timelessness.

Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, is known for its historic harbours, ancient ruins, and coastal fishing culture. This painting likely captures one of the smaller, working ports away from the tourist path—places where colourful boats rest between voyages and life follows the rhythm of the sea. Steane’s bold use of colour and energetic brushwork bring out the textures of hull and shoreline, while retaining a sense of stillness and observation.