Arthur Boyd Houghton

Ramsgate Sands

c.1861

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

In Tate Britain

Walk Through British Art: 1840

Free

Artist: Arthur Boyd Houghton 1836–1875
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: Support: 241 × 298 mm
frame: 440 × 490 × 90 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Presented by Miss Helen Devitt in memory of Sir Thomas Devitt Bt 1924
Reference: N03907

Display caption

The model for the central figure in this picture was Houghton's wife, Susan. Houghton often took his young family on trips to the seaside, and Ramsgate was a favourite destination.
The informal atmopshere, and the loosely handled, thin paint suggests that this picture was probably painted on the spot.
Susan Houghton was a constant source of inspiration for the artist, and she appears in many of his works, including 'Volunteers', which hangs above.

Gallery label, April 1995

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Explore

architecture(41,309)
- townscapes / man-made features(21,653)
- - breakwater(53)
leisure and pastimes(7,770)
- recreational activities(2,849)
- - playing(207)
  - reading(409)
  - walking(146)
nature(45,222)
- animals: mammals(4,878)
- - horse(1,592)
- seascapes and coasts(7,993)
- - beach(1,195)
  - cliff(1,500)
  - sea(3,364)
  - wave(731)
objects(23,359)
- clothing and personal items(5,877)
- - hat, bonnet(212)
  - shawl(90)
- reading, writing, printed matter(5,153)
- - book - non-specific(1,960)
people(35,137)
- actions: postures and motions(9,094)
- - sitting(3,321)
  - walking(606)
- adults(22,737)
- - man(10,478)
  - woman(9,058)
- children(3,393)
- - baby(525)
  - boy(1,157)
  - girl(1,102)
- named individuals(12,486)
- - Houghton, Susanna(3)
places(41,571)
- UK cities, towns and villages(12,754)
- - Ramsgate - non-specific(38)
- UK counties(19,628)
- - Kent(1,086)
- UK countries and regions(24,412)
- - England(19,249)
  - England, South East(5,957)
  - England, Southern(9,005)

You might like

Arthur Boyd Houghton Mother and Children Reading

c.1860
Arthur Boyd Houghton Volunteers

1861

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Arthur Boyd Houghton Lady with a Book

c.1860
Arthur Boyd Houghton Punch and Judy

c.1860
Arthur Boyd Houghton The Don on the Island

date not known
Arthur Boyd Houghton Child Among the Rocks, engraved by the Dalziel Brothers

published 1865

View by appointment
Arthur Boyd Houghton Uncle John with the Young Folk: ‘All Prizes and No Blanks!’ engraved by the Dalziel Brothers

published 1865

View by appointment
Arthur Boyd Houghton My Treasure: Mrs A.B. Houghton and Two Children, engraved by the Dalziel Brothers

date not known

View by appointment
Arthur Boyd Houghton Jew and Gentile, for engraving

published 1864
Arthur Boyd Houghton Facing the Camera, for engraving

c.1865
Abraham Solomon Waiting for the Verdict

1857
William Dyce Pegwell Bay, Kent - a Recollection of October 5th 1858

?1858–60

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
William Maw Egley Omnibus Life in London

1859

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Arthur Boyd Houghton London Scene, for engraving

date not known
Arthur Boyd Houghton Scotch Scene, for engraving

date not known