Oil painting, 'Coast Scene', Edith Hume, ca. 1862-1896

Coast scene at sunrise with three fisher girls, one at the left leaning against a boat; behind them boats sailing out to sea

Bequeathed by Joshua Dixon

Bequeathed by Joshua Dixon, 1886

Historical significance: Edith Hume was a painter of genre subjects who specialised in fishing scenes. Until 1867 she exhibited under her maiden name of Miss Edith Dunn, and from 1870 under her married name, Mrs T.O. Hume.

Hume has not presented this group of fisher girls in the picturesque fancy dress preferred by contemporaries such as Miles Birkett Foster and Helen Allingham in their studies of rural workers. They are shown in the real dress of women of their class and occupation. Nevertheless the three girls are shown as healthy, industrious and respectable representatives of the rural labouring classes.

This painting was bequeathed to the V&A by Joshua Dixon (1811-1885), a successful cotton merchant. In addition to oil paintings, watercolours and drawings, his collection also included engravings, Japanese vases and panels, and bronze and marble sculpture. Born in Dalston, north-east London, Dixon died on his estate of Winslade Park in Somerset and left his collection initially to the Bethnal Green Museum, which is part of the V&A, for the 'benefit of the people of East London.'

1008-1886