Art work by Richard Eurich D.Litt. RA OBE (1903-1992) Catalogue Raisonnée: https://richardeurich.co.uk/. Contact: Philippa Bambach 07890 390633 — © 2005 Christie's Images Limited

Watchers on a Beach

1971

oil on board

76.2h x 101.6w (cm)

Private Collection (UK)

Narrative

Gatherings | Crowds | Festivities

Empty Seascapes and Landscapes

Seascapes | Coastal Scenes

Harlequins | Pierrots | Clowns

Towels | Shrouds | Figures Bending Over

Strange Pictures

Lepe Beach and The Solent

RA Summer Exhibitions

Recto: signed and dated lower right: R. Eurich '71.

Verso: signed, inscribed and dated again ‘RICHARD EURICH 1971/WATCHERS ON A BEACH’

Alternatives:

Watchers on the Beach [RA]

Tags:

Empty Seascapes and Landscapes

England

Figures on a Beach

Gatherings / Festivities

Hampshire

Harlequins / Pierrots / Clowns

Lepe Beach

Motifs

Music / Theatre

Narrative

Nudes

Problem Pictures

Seascapes / Coastal Scenes

Sets

The Solent

The South

Themes

Towels

Subject

Beach

Dog

Pierrot

animal

black

children

crowd

enthic

group

guitar

men

music

oar

paddling

sails

swimming suits trunks

three master

watching

waves

women woman female

yachts

Medium

Oil

RE enjoyed observing the activities of people on the beach, here creating a narrative with the crowd of little figures massed on the shoreline all intently observing something going on out at sea. In the present view there is no indication of what event is being watched, the title of the painting is intentionally ambiguous. In The Rescue, (1971-74, Government Art Collection) a line of observers stand on the seashore watching a lifeboat speeding to the aid of a sinking tanker.

- Original source uncertain. Provided by the collector.

This strange painting is pregnant with expectation. Most of it is a study in emptiness while the other portion is crowded with characters of all sorts. The picture gives me a very intense feeling as if, in his late 60s, Dad was reviewing his own life and all his experiences in a similar but different way from Queen of the Sea which he did in his 50s. Here is depicted all the activity and colourful people that filled his imagination but the pull of the empty sea and sky expresses his inmost soul. I find the fact that this could be being observed by so many as he drifts away into his own self a very moving image.

- PB