Hall Sands, Devonshire 1846

William Collins painted Hall Sands, Devonshire, capturing a moment of everyday life by the sea. Collins lived during a time of immense social change, with the industrial revolution transforming rural life. The woman standing beside the horse evokes a sense of the lives of working-class women during this period. We see a scene of labor and perhaps, the transient nature of work, with the horse ready to move on. The figures scattered along the beach remind us of the communal aspect of seaside life, while the cottage sits as a humble dwelling against the vastness of the sea. Collins, who was deeply religious, often depicted scenes of simple, rural life. Hall Sands presents a narrative of the relationship between people and place, and perhaps offers a romanticized view of a vanishing way of life. It asks us to reflect on themes of labor, community, and the changing landscapes of 19th-century England, inviting us to consider the lives and stories of those who lived by the sea.