31 - WILLIAM EDWARD WEBB (Manchester, c. 1862–1903).

WILLIAM EDWARD WEBB (Manchester, c. 1862–1903). “Seaside Scene.” Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower left corner. Measurements: 31 x 61 cm; 50 x 80 cm (frame). Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. William Edward Webb was a British painter known as a first-rate marine artist. His body of work consists primarily of high-quality seascapes, the genre he cultivated most extensively. A permanent resident of Manchester, Webb frequently visited the coasts and ports of Great Britain, producing an impressive number of lively scenes that celebrated the challenges faced by those who worked on the open sea. Webb exhibited more than 60 paintings between 1890 and 1904, mostly in his hometown, but also at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and three times at the Royal Academy in London. Greater commercial recognition came to Webb posthumously, in part thanks to the efforts of the author Denys Brook-Hart.