Blackberry Gathering

Elizabeth Forbes was born in Canada and studied in New York and Munich. In 1890 she married Stanhope Forbes. Both painters were leading members of a group of artists who worked at Newlyn in Cornwall at the end of the 19th century. The Newlyn Group painted local outdoor subjects full of light and atmosphere using characteristicly free brushwork. The male artists in Newlyn painted the working life of the fishing village whereas Elizabeth Forbes depicted the women and children either at home or engaged in more leisurely outdoor pursuits, as in this painting which was first exhibited in 1912.

This painting is typical of her outdoor subjects with human interest. It was described by the critic of the Studio as 'a good example of the work of an artist who had charm of manner and true individuality of style'.