Marine Landscape Oil Painting by Clifford Hanney (1890-1990)

A wonderful oil on canvas laid to board by the artist Clifford Hanney (1890-1990). The work is titled ‘Early morning near Watchet’ and depicts low tide at the Somerset harbour town, as the sun is just breaking and the light reflects off the water. It is a great piece of painting with a superb feel for time and place, captured in a simple colour palette in the impressionist manner. The painting is in very good untouched condition and signed to the lower left. Clifford Hanney (1890-1990) was a painter of marine, landscape and figure subjects married to the artist Eirene Hutton-Seed. He was born at Publow, Pensford, near Bristol and studied at the University there and art at West Marlands School of Art, Southampton, and Bristol Municipal School of Art under R E J Bush. He lived in Bristol but was eventually buried at Publow churchyard. He was art master at Kimbolton Grammar School, 1923, then after a number of appointments was principal of Crewe School of Art, 1943–50. Hanney was elected an associate of The Royal West of England Art Academy, 1923, was one of the founders of the New Bristol Art Club in 1933 and was elected to the Bristol Savages in 1951 (an influential artists group in the city), becoming its president in 1963. Hanney exhibited at The Royal West of England Art Academy, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, Manchester City Art Gallery and Oldham Art Gallery. Among his main works were Twilight, Sea Hawks and The Schooner. This painting is a really interesting piece showing a simplicity and brevity of touch, to capture quickly and expertly a changing landscape. The painting retains the original exhibition label on the reverse for the 1950 of The Royal West of England Art Academy in Bristol. The piece is framed in the original simple painted frame which works very well with the painting. The whole is an interesting and decorative mid-century artwork, ready to hang.