Harvey grew up in Penzance, Cornwall. He trained at the Penzance School af Arts and the Academie Julian in Paris and later became part of the Newlyn group of artists. The group was inspired by French painters af the time, who practised plein air painting (painting outdoors).

Harvey’s paintings often depicted fishermen, miners and farmers in the Cornish landscape. This late-summer scene shows a lady and a girl gathering blackberries near to the coast. The location appears to be beside Penlee Quarry just south of Newlyn and Penzance. In the distance can be seen Mount’s Bay and the tidal island of St Michaels Mount.

The figures are depicted in the close foreground. The lady appears rather distracted, as if deep in thought. The distance between her and the girt heightens this feeling that she is slightly removed from the activity. The vast cloud-filled sky dominates the composition, and together with the wide stretching landscape expresses the wonder and drama of life, perhaps echoing something of the lady’s thoughts.

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: South Shields Museum, Tyne & Wear
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Harold C. Harvey (1874-1941)
Date: circa 1917

Image Details
Date: 24 March 2023
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/50s
ISO: 160
Licensing: Image of a North East Museums asset. This image cannot be licensed.