While working for a cotton-broker in Liverpool, Stokes was encouraged to pursue his artistic talents and enrolled in the Royal Academy School. He painted this work during winter in England, based on studies he made on a summer’s sojourn in Pas-de-Calais, near Hardelot, France. He used texture and colour to evoke the sand’s dryness and warmth, a striking contrast to the pool of water at centre. The entire picture is bathed in light, giving a serenity to the sensitively observed and painted scene.
