Walrus Aircraft on the Slipway - Eric Ravilious

A detailed watercolour by Eric Ravilious depicting a Supermarine Walrus aircraft on a coastal slipway during the Second World War.

Eric Ravilious produced this work during his tenure as an official war artist for the British government. The composition depicts a Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious biplane, positioned on a concrete slipway. Ravilious employs his characteristic watercolour technique, using controlled washes and fine, stippled marks to define the metallic surfaces of the aircraft and the texture of the wet concrete.

The perspective is carefully constructed, drawing the eye from the foreground tail section towards the second aircraft in the distance. A lone figure stands on the slipway, signalling with flags, which provides a sense of scale and human presence within the industrial setting. The palette is dominated by cool greys, blues, and muted tones, reflecting the overcast conditions typical of the British coastline where such naval operations occurred.

Ravilious had a particular interest in the geometry of machinery and the way light interacts with man-made structures. His approach to war art avoids overt drama, focusing instead on the quiet, technical aspects of military life. The inclusion of the French tricolour on the tail fin and the signal flags adds specific narrative detail to the scene. This work captures the atmosphere of a coastal air station during the early years of the Second World War, demonstrating the artist's ability to render complex mechanical forms with clarity and restraint. The composition remains balanced, with the diagonal lines of the slipway guiding the viewer through the space, while the soft, diffused light creates a sense of stillness despite the military subject matter.