An atmospheric pair of seascape paintings of shipping on the Medway by Hubert Thornley. The first is a view of the mouth of the Medway by moonlight and the second is a scene near Rochester on the Medway.

Hubert or William Thornley was a painter of coastal scenes and marines who lived in Greenwich and for many years had a studio overlooking the Medway near Rochester in Kent. According to art historian Denys Brook-Hart, he was actually born Charles Thornley and exhibited under this name from an address in Paddington, London.

Although called Charles, his best known name was William Thornley. He would also exhibit and sell paintings under other variations of his name such as Hubert Thornley, William Anson Thornberry and William Anson. He was a prolific exhibitor with 53 works shown at the Royal Academy, and 82 at other venues. He also exhibited at the British Institute until its closure in 1867, and at the New Watercolour Society.

His works are highly distinctive and finely detailed, often painted on a small scale. No matter what name he used, his works bear all the hallmarks of his artistry and masterful understanding of the moods of both weather and sea.

© Benton Fine Art