A sailor's yarn

A founder member of the Newlyn school of plein-air painters in Cornwall, Tuke moved in 1885 to Falmouth where he acquired an old French brigantine – the Julie – fitting up a studio in her hold. This work, which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887, was painted aboard the Julie. The seated boy listening pensively to the two sailors is Jack Rowling who lived with the artist aboard the Julie at this date. Tuke is better known for his numerous later scenes of naked boys bathing.