169 - Richard Henry Nibbs,

Richard Henry Nibbs, British 1816-1893- The Promenade, Brighton; oil on canvas, signed 'R. NIBBS' (to the balustrade, lower centre), 36.2 x 56.8 cm. Provenance: Anon. sale, Christie’s, London, 29th March 1996, lot 212 (£6,500 hammer). with MacConnal-Mason & Son Ltd., London. Private Collection, UK. Note: Nibbs was a self-taught artist who initially trained as a musician, and worked as a cellist in the orchestra at the Theatre Royal in his hometown of Brighton. His body of work focuses almost exclusively on maritime scenes, featuring boats either on the open sea or in quiet harbours along the south coast of Britain and in various European towns. His paintings often highlight the sea’s ever-changing and unpredictable nature, portraying vessels in both serene, calm waters and turbulent, stormy conditions. In the present work, Nibbs has chosen to represent Brighton's famous promenade and seafront on a calm day with a serene sea, in which men and women walk, talk, and court, highlighting the social and mundane nature of this spot in the 19th century.