View of the Needles, and White Cliffs Taken from Allum Bay, Isle of Wight 1772 - 1781

Anthony Devis created "View of the Needles, and White Cliffs Taken from Allum Bay, Isle of Wight," during a time when the picturesque was highly valued. As the British gentry explored their own country, the Isle of Wight became a popular destination. Devis's watercolor reflects an aesthetic appreciation for idealized nature, yet it's worth considering what is not pictured here. The working lives of those who depended on the sea, or the back-breaking labour involved in quarrying the chalk cliffs, were absent from such idyllic scenes. Instead, we see grazing sheep, calm waters, and distant sails, all bathed in a soft, diffused light, which evokes a sense of serenity and timelessness. The small figures dotted along the coastline remind us of the growing leisure activities of the middle and upper classes. This image offers a specific vision of Britain, one that emphasizes beauty and tranquility, while subtly reinforcing a particular social order.