Chelsea Regatta

Walter Greaves 1846 - 1930

Summary

A river scene depicting the Chelsea Regatta in London. In the foreground, right, spectators watch from a pier attached to Battersea Bridge as the competitors row past through a channel in the centre, away from the viewer. The greatest gathering of people is on the left bank. Crowds fill the pebbly shore and the balconies and windows of pubs and houses along the bank, waving, drinking and cheering as competitors, in coxless pairs, arrive down the river. Several men urge the competitors on from boats moored next to the shore. A great number of people watch from three tiers of a pub called 'The Adam & Eve', which is decorated with banners and flags. In the middleground, on the left, next to a church tower, more people watch from a row of cargo boats, some of which have been pulled up on to the shore. The river continues through London into the distance to the right, with Chelsea Bridge visible in the background.

Display Label

The Chelsea Regatta about 1865 Walter Greaves 1846-1930 Oil on canvas The artist was formerly a Thames boatman. He recalled 'What with guns firing, bands playing and the immense crowd of people, Chelsea was pretty lively on...its annual Regatta. The race was rowed in heats...for a purse of sovereigns.' The last Regatta was held in 1871, when the Embankment replaced the old waterfront. Greaves later became an associate of JAM Whistler, a sophisticated American painter based in London. The self-taught manner of The Chelsea Regatta pre-dates the influence of his famous mentor. He recalled 'To Mr Whistler a boat was always a tone; to us it was always a boat.'