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Student Artwork Guide

The Message

Name Class Date

Henry Scott Tuke, The Message (1890). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Henry Scott Tuke originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/henry-scott-tuke/
Artist’s dates
1858 – 1929
Painted
1890

In context

The Message — Henry Scott Tuke

When was this painted?

  1. 1850
  2. 1860
  3. 1870
  4. 1880
  5. 1890
  6. 1900
  7. 1910
  8. 1920

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 71 at death.

Painted when the artist was 32. The artist lived to 71. 33 of the 112 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Henry Scott Tuke (1858–1929) ▲ this work, 1890 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1887 Main working years: 1887–1910 Late works: from 1910

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Phthalo Green #1f1b0c

    Catalogued palette

    • #1F1B0C
    • #AC9470
    • #443320
    • #765939

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Phthalo Green
    Intensity
    Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Balanced How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Henry Scott Tuke over the last twelve months — 16 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 50.3%
    2. 2 Spain 30.6%
    3. 3 United States of America 5.1%
    4. 4 Hong Kong 4.5%
    5. 5 Brazil 1.3%
    6. 6 Italy 1.3%
    7. 7 Singapore 1.3%
    8. 8 Canada 0.6%
    9. 9 Colombia 0.6%
    10. 10 Germany 0.6%
    11. · 6 other countries 3.8%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Henry Scott Tuke

    1. 1 The Critics, 1927 6.4%
    2. 2 Nude Boy on Rocks, 1907 2.9%
    3. 3 Return from fishing, 1907 2.3%
    4. 4 Hermes at The Pool (sketch), 1900 2.3%
    5. 5 Harry 2.3%
    6. 6 The Bather 2.3%
    7. 7 Nude on the Rocks 2.3%
    8. 8 A Holiday, 1921 2.3%
    9. 9 The Green Waterways, 1926 1.7%
    10. 10 Mrs Florence Humphris, 1892 1.7%
    11. 11 July sun, 1913 1.7%
    12. 12 Nude Italian Boy, 1881 1.7%
    13. 13 Nude Boy, 1881 1.7%
    14. 14 A West Indian boy, 1926 1.7%
    15. 15 Self Portrait, 1881 1.7%
    16. 16 Charlie Throwing the Line (study), 1907 1.7%
    17. 17 The Fisherman 1.7%
    18. 18 Seascape with Sailing Craft, 1904 1.7%
    19. 19 Nude Boy on a Rock 1.7%
    20. The Message, 1890 this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 41.8% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 190 works by this artist, of which 97 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Henry Scott Tuke

    Born in York, United Kingdom

    **early life and education**

    henry scott tuke, a prominent english visual artist, was born on june 12, 1858, in lawrence street, york, into a quaker family. his father, daniel hack tuke, was a well-known medical doctor specializing in psychiatry. tuke's early life was marked by a strong inclination towards art, encouraged by his family.

    **artistic career**

    tuke's artistic journey began with enrollment in the slade school of art under alphonse legros and sir edward poynter in 1875. he later won a scholarship that allowed him to continue his training at the slade and in italy in 1880. his time in paris from 1881 to 1883, where he met jules bastien-lepage, influenced his decision to paint en plein air.

    henry scott tuke's most notable work was in the impressionist style.

    he is best known for his paintings of nude boys and young men, a subject matter that was both personal and professionally significant.

    tuke's prolific career resulted in over 1,300 works, including oil paintings of young men, maritime scenes, and portraits of sailing ships.

    **notable works and legacy**

    some of tuke's most notable works include:

    the boy’s dream, a poignant example of his impressionist style.

    august, blue, showcasing his skill in capturing the essence of youth and nature.

    sailing ships at newlyn, highlighting his maritime artistry.

    tuke's legacy extends beyond his art; he was an established member of the royal academy, elected to full membership in 1914. his influence on the newlyn school of painters and his contributions to impressionism are undeniable.

    **later life and death**

    tuke suffered a heart attack in 1928 and passed away on march 13, 1929. despite knowing that his work was no longer fashionable towards the end of his life, tuke's generosity to his models, many of whom were young men, speaks volumes about his character.

    view more works by henry scott tuke at https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/henryscotttuke

    explore the impressionist movement and its notable artists at /en/art/list/

    discover more about tuke's life and art on wikipedia

    *tuke's artistic legacy: a blend of impressionism and intimacy* his work, though often overshadowed by more flamboyant contemporaries, remains a testament to the enduring power of impressionist art and the human form. tuke's legacy is not just in his paintings but in the lives he touched, both as an artist and a person.

    Where to read more

    • The artist Henry Scott Tuke originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/henry-scott-tuke/
    • Similar works More works to compare originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for The Message

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Tuke, Henry Scott. The Message. 1890, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/
    APA
    Tuke, Henry Scott (1890). The Message [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/
    Chicago
    Henry Scott Tuke. The Message. 1890. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/
    Harvard
    Tuke, Henry Scott (1890) The Message. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/henry-scott-tuke-the-message-8YDFZ3-en/

    Look closely

    The Message — Henry Scott Tuke

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Look back at Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower (1897), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    4. Henry Scott Tuke was about 32 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
    5. What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Questions & Answers

    Who sells hand-painted copies of "The Message" by Henry Scott Tuke?

    "The Message" is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas. The order can be placed on its Hand-Painted Reproduction page, with a choice of sizes.

    How saturated is the palette of "The Message"?

    The colors of "The Message" by Henry Scott Tuke have a subtle color saturation. Saturation describes how vivid or muted the colors are.

    What saturation and intensity does "The Message" by Henry Scott Tuke show?

    The colors of "The Message" by Henry Scott Tuke show a subtle color saturation with a monochromatic intensity.