John Piper C.H 'Seaweed and Lichen' Painting at Rye Art Gallery
2026-01-09
John Piper C.H (1903-1992) | Seaweed and Lichen, South Cornwall 1943
Oil on canvas board
A darkly beautiful landscape from John Piper in context 1943 was such a tumultuous time for Great Britain. Piper was an official war artist, here he depicts a bare beach between sea rocks and sky. A brooding painting with an uncomfortable intensity. The darkness of colour too emphasises the natural textures with grey blue shingle set against the dark greens of seaweed and the warmth of golden brown sands.
A dramatic painting which captures our British coast in adversity and under threat!
The work is on loan to Rye Art Gallery from the Kowitz Family Art Collection and will be featured in the studio alongside other selected paintings by John Piper that we have in our permanent collection at the gallery.