Newlyn
The central figure in the Newlyn School of painters, Forbes was committed to working directly from nature in the plein-air (open air) manner of the French. He settled in Newlyn, attracted by "a mild climate suitable for out of doors works, [and] a grey-roofed village overhanging a lovely bay." Like other Newlyn artists, Forbes painted everyday subjects which offended the tastes of highbrow critics who considered them vulgar. Typical of Forbes' work, the Ferens' painting is a nostalgic view of a way of life that had changed little over the years. It is thought to have been painted in Sandy Cove, Newlyn and uses local people as 'models'. Mistrustful of modernity, Forbes saw himself recording visual documents of changing scenes and customs.
