An atmospheric seascape painting by George Stainton of hay barges at twilight off Gravesend, Kent. A barge is shown piloting across the Thames with the glow of a lantern illuminating its deck. Other vessels can be seen heading towards the shore at Gravesend as the tide ebbs. At the time of this painting, the artist was living at Walnut Terrace, Kyrwicks Lane located in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham.

George Stainton was a marine and landscape artist who was born in Aston, Birmingham in October 1838 to John Stainton and Ann Horton. By the age of 12, he was working as a paper mache painter and then later as a Japanner before becoming a full-time artist. He specialised in painting seascapes and river scenes in the style of Abraham Hulk and was influenced by the Dutch school.

He exhibited at the Royal Society of Birmingham Artists from 1865 and also at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. He married Clara Adelaide Mason (née shears), a widow on 8 November, 1866 and together they lived in Addesley Street, Aston. The couple had 8 children and one of their sons Ernest Stainton became a lithographic artist. During the mid to late 1870’s he lived at Walnut Terrace in Kyrwicks Lane in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham. However, by 1881, Stainton had moved to nearby Moseley Road where many Birmingham artists of the industrial period lived and also took up photography. Sometime during the late 1880’s early 1890’s, he made his final move to Pembroke Villa, 14 St Pauls Road, Moseley Road. He died at his home on 25 April, 1900.

Whilst Stainton lived in Birmingham all his life, he travelled around the country painting coastal views of the Bristol Channel, Portsmouth and the Medway, as well as river scenes of the Thames, Tyne and Mersey. He also visited Scotland and Northern France. His works are beautifully detailed and show a masterful understanding of the moods of the weather and movement of the water. His paintings have always been popular when they appear on the art market.

© Benton Fine Art