Lighthouses

Shrouded in mystery and romance, lighthouses have intrigued and captivated the imagination for hundreds of years, best portrayed in this series of canvas paintings. Traditionally, theRead moreir purpose was to warn ships of the presence of rocks and landmasses, flashing an alert to the ship’s captain and navigator. Even with the lighthouses present, many ships and their crew perished on the rocks in rough seas and bad weather. As a background to this magnificent architecture, the modern lighthouse era commenced at the turn of the 18th century, using a prototype designed by John Smeaton. He pioneered the use of hydraulic lime, a concrete that sets under water, and alternating red and white rotating lights, a design that would define future structures for centuries. Previously, the standard light would be a candle and wick system.

Famous lighthouses

Our collection of lighthouse canvas prints has been created to delight the would-be seafarer. In cartoon form, sepia, black and white and full color, there is ample choice to complement your décor. One of the most famous Canadian lighthouses, depicted in a full-color canvas painting, is Peggy’s Point lighthouse in Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. Originally a wooden house with a beacon on the roof, it was constructed in 1868, and later became the lighthouse keeper’s residence. The present structure, a 50 feet high octagonal building, was replaced in 1914 and was still in use until 2009, manned by the coastguard. Even to this day, despite many warning signs in the vicinity, several tourists are swept off the rocks every year, many to their deaths. One of the most famous lighthouses in England is in Seaham in County Durham, the town where the movie Billy Elliot was filmed. With notoriously bad weather and North Sea tidal surges, this canvas painting is one of the most exciting in the series; the waves almost completely cover the 32 feet high building. The most picturesque lighthouse must surely be Tŵr Mawr on Llanddwyn Island in Wales, at the entrance to the Menai Strait. Used for guiding vessels through the strait, this beacon, along with its crew, was responsible for saving 101 lives in 35 shipping incidents. This canvas print of the lighthouse on a gloriously sunny day hardly defines the strong winds and waves crashing on the rocks, causing so much devastation. Conversely, the most desolate of lighthouses in this collection of canvas prints is Eigerøy Lighthouse on the island of Eigerøya, in Norway, with its harrowing form of beauty. Even though the majority are out of commission, there will always be a fascination with these unique buildings.
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