Explore the Scarborough Lifeboat in Paint

At Scarborough Art Gallery

Scarborough has a long history of maritime painting, particularly throughout the Victorian era. Arguably, it reached a peak after the appointment of Albert Strange as headmaster of the new Scarborough School of Art in 1882. Strange was not only a skilled artist and teacher of art, but also a passionate yachtsman.

‘Fishing Boat with Lifeboat’ (1903) by Frederick Dade
Scarborough Art Gallery

This painting showing a ‘Fishing Boat with Lifeboat’ was created in 1903 by a former pupil of Strange. Little known today, Frederick Dade was the younger brother of Ernest Frederick Dade who was one of the founding artists of the Staithes Group further up the coast.

Frederick Dade had been a prize winner at the Scarborough School of Art in 1891 and 1892 and clearly showed great promise, though his life was tragically cut short by tuberculosis in 1908.

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Together, with his brother, and with fellow artist Frank Mason and headteacher Strange, Dade was involved in establishing Scarborough Yacht club. The affinity with the sea, from time spent in it, shows in their paintings. In this scene, you can see the small RNLI lifeboat rowing towards the fishing boat in difficulty, both boats churned around amid white surf. The paint for both the sky and sea has a dirty, yellow-brown hue which helps to convey a dark, foreboding atmosphere. The painting measures 50cm (H) x 75cm (W) and was painted in oil on canvas.

Dade was not the first artist to focus the attention of one of his paintings on the role of the RNLI. A couple of decades before, Robert Ernest Roe had created huge history paintings inspired by some of the coast’s most dramatic and dreadful storms.

‘Launching the Lifeboat’ (1881) by Robert Ernest Roe
Scarborough Art Gallery

There are a number of large seascapes by Robert Ernest Roe in Scarborough Art Gallery, many of them given by businessman William Morgan. This one focuses on the launch of the lifeboat.

Painted in 1881, it was likely inspired by the tragic events to take place in October of the year before, which saw one of the worst recorded storms to have hit the Yorkshire coast. With ten ships going down in one night, it had a devastating effect on the town, but particularly on the fishing community. Painted in oil on canvas and measuring 99 cms (H) by 150 cms (W), it shows the point at which large crowds are gathering to help and watch the launch of the lifeboat.

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

The location is Scarborough’s South Bay, where the rocks were treacherous to ships and boats. On shore the Spa is visible, its Grand Hall having recently reopened following a fire in 1876. A ship in trouble is shown in silhouette and Roe’s highlighting of the waves and spray adds intensity and drama to this scene.

Activity – coming soon – stories of heroism with the RNLI

Talking Points

How would you describe the colours of the sea and sky in the ‘Fishing Boat with Lifeboat’? What impression do the colours help to create?

How does Dade’s colour palette contrast with Roe’s?

Why do you think the two artists have taken such different approaches? Do you think one is more accurate than the other?

Why is it not surprising that an artist who is also a yachtsman might be interested in painting the lifeboat? What do you think Dade’s motivations were for painting it?

Victorian and early 20th century lifeboats were small rowing boats without sails. Why do you think this is?

How do you think the two artists have managed to capture the heroism of the men on board the lifeboats?

Which of the two paintings do you prefer? Why?

Vocabulary

Vessel: a ship or a large boat

Lifeboat: a specially designed boat to rescue people in distress at sea

Mast: a large, upright post on a ship or boat carrying sails

Crew: a group of people who work together closely, often used to describe a group on a ship