Artists' colonies in Staithes and Runswick Bay c.1880-1914

This is the first scholarly study of the artists' colonies of Staithes and Runswick Bay on the north Yorkshire coast from c.1880 to 1914. Artists who worked in both locations have attracted attention, but their work until now has not been considered as part of a wider painting community. It has not been recognised that Runswick Bay was a separate colony. Such a topic requires an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on the methods of social and economic history, together with local history studies as well as art history. Following an introduction establishing the motivations, approach and scope of the thesis, each chapter addresses a range of key issues and images. Chapter one examines the social and economic context in which the paintings were produced, with particular emphasis on the fishing industry. Chapter two examines the development of the artists' colonies, together with the relationship between the fisherfolk and the artists. It compares Staithes and Runswick Bay with Newlyn and Cullercoats as centres of cultural production. Chapter three explores the representation of both villages and their inhabitants in the paintings produced. Of particular concern is the depiction of fisherfolk as icons of a simpler life and the embodiment of Englishness. Chapter four discusses the exhibiting practices of the artists, particularly in London and northern England. It also looks at the role of individual patrons. Overall this work demonstrates that Staithes and Runswick Bay were two distinct artists' colonies and that they were of greater significance than has previously been recognised because of the number of artists who worked there and the paintings produced. A broader aim of this thesis is to suggest that the development of artists’ colonies, such as Staithes and Runswick Bay, contributed to definitions of Englishness and that the paintings produced there were expressions of national identity.