{"product_id":"a-brig-close-to-shore-alfred-wallis","title":"A Brig, Close to Shore - Alfred Wallis","description":"\u003cp\u003eA characteristic marine study by Alfred Wallis, featuring a brig rendered in his signature naïve style on a textured, flattened plane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlfred Wallis, a former Cornish fisherman and scrap merchant, began painting in his late sixties. He worked primarily on salvaged cardboard, often cutting the material into irregular shapes to suit his compositions. This work, A Brig, Close to Shore, displays the characteristic features of his output: a rejection of traditional perspective, a focus on maritime subjects, and the use of a limited, utilitarian palette.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWallis painted from memory, drawing upon his years spent at sea. His approach to space is flattened, with the brig positioned against a dark, textured background that suggests the proximity of the coastline. The sea is rendered with thick, gestural brushwork, conveying the movement of water through simple, repetitive strokes. The ship itself is depicted with a focus on its structural elements, such as the masts and rigging, rather than anatomical accuracy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis materials were those readily available to him, including ship paint and household oil paint. These substances contribute to the tactile quality of the surface. Wallis did not consider himself an artist in the professional sense, yet his work attracted the attention of Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood, who visited St Ives in 1928. They recognised the authenticity in his direct, unmediated style. This piece captures the essence of his practice, where the physical constraints of the cardboard and the limitations of his materials dictate the final form. The result is a direct, honest representation of a vessel, stripped of academic artifice and grounded in the lived experience of a mariner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/harbor-scene-an-english-ship-with-sails-loosened-firing-a-gun-peter-monamy\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eHarbor Scene: An English Ship with Sails Loosened Firing a Gun - Peter Monamy — Peter Monamy\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-shipwreck-ivan-aivazovsky\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Shipwreck - Ivan Aivazovsky — Ivan Aivazovsky\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Alfred Wallis","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59113111781711,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59113121349967,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59113121382735,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/A-Brig-Close-to-Shore_Poster_CompositorV1_1791919023526.jpg?v=1791919054","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/a-brig-close-to-shore-alfred-wallis","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}