Harbour Scene

The harbour in this early pen and ink and wash drawing by Alfred Cohen is unidentified but the work dates from early in his career, during the years he lived in Paris, and the location is reminiscent of Dieppe. The delicate style contrasts with the robustness of his later works but the subject establishes his interest in waterscapes, which came to fruition in a series inspired by the River Thames after he moved to London in 1960; his oeuvre also includes colourful oils of the Seine and the Channel ports. The work was gifted by the artist to Ben Uri in 1957, prior to his first London show with the gallery in 1958.