Coast Scene with Rainbow

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Arching across a dark, troubled sky, a glorious rainbow appears like a symbol of hope in Richard Eurich’s painting, 'Coast Scene with Rainbow'. Stormy waves lash against a harbour as the fall of the rainbow’s curve directs our attention to a group of young bathers standing against the wall. Nearby, a boat called 'Verity' (Truth), lies on the beach, its presence instilling an air of optimism winning over adversity.

Eurich painted this work between 1952 to 1953, seven years after the end of the Second World War, and in the period during which preparations were being made for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Writing later about 'Coast Scene with Rainbow', he recalled that the scene was not based on a particular place, but instead represented a nostalgic evocation of the artist's memories of childhood holidays. Eurich was fascinated by the sea from an early age, most noticeably after a school visit to Sandsend near Whitby, and from family visits to Chesil Beach in Dorset. Known chiefly for his paintings of the sea, Eurich was especially inspired by the dramatic seascapes of his lifelong hero, J. M. W. Turner.

Richard Eurich studied at Bradford School of Art and the Slade School. Shortly after his marriage he and his wife, an art teacher, moved to Dibden Purlieu close to Southampton Water and thus to the sea, where he lived for the rest of his life. During the Second World War Eurich became an Official War Artist, and painted scenes involving the sea, mostly of ships, but one or two of air combats. Several are now in the National Maritime Museum and the Imperial War Museum. The last major exhibition of his work, entitled 'Richard Eurich: from Dunkirk to D-Day', took place at the Imperial War Museum in 1991, which brought together almost 40 of his war paintings.

Places

Subjects

rigging, rowing boat, crane, bathing, genre, seascape/coastal scene, townscape/cityscape, rainbow, hill, stone/rock, sea, cliff, wave, man, woman, umbrella, child, pier, harbour, house, lighthouse, archway, wall, ship

Materials & Techniques

canvas, oil, oil painting

Artist

Richard Ernst Eurich (1903 - 1992)

Title

Coast Scene with Rainbow

Date

1952-1953

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

height: 122.50 cm, width: 183.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Redfern Gallery, January 1954

Inscription

br: R Eurich / 1952.3

GAC number

2518