William John Leech
, Irish, 1881-1968
Title
A Still Afternoon, ConcarneauDatec.1910
MediumOil on canvas
Credit LinePresented, Miss Iona and Miss Catriona MacLeod, in memory of their stepfather, Patrick J. Little, T.D., 1994
Object numberNGI.4594
Label TextLeech lived in Concarneau, Brittany, for several periods in his life. During these stays, he painted many harbour views and coastal landscapes. This scene focuses on the patterns made by light reflected in water. Leech often placed idiosyncratic diagonal motifs across his compositions, such as the dark tree trunks seen here. By interrupting the view in this way, he implies that he made the painting in situ rather than imagined or contrived it.