Cedric Morris travelled prolifically throughout
his life. Each winter he would travel abroad in search of subject matter to
paint and exotic plant seeds to collect and propagate back at home in England.
Among the numerous places Morris visited Portugal was among his most
frequented. Morris and his lifelong partner Arthur Lett-Haines (1894-1978), or
let as he was known throughout his life, often took time apart as evidenced by
the numerous letters written by Cedric to Lett (as he was known throughout his
life) whilst on holiday abroad. Portinho da Arrábida, in South West Portugal in
the Setúbal Municipality, was a place that Morris painted at least three times
during his career. The same view of the cove looking west towards the
distinctive hills that adorn the Arrábida coastline can be seen in a work
currently in the collection of Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery in Wales
[CCM.43.992 ‘Portinho da Arrábida’]. This view was previously thought to
have been painted in the 1930s but recent research by Philip Mould &
Company now strongly indicates that it is in fact far more likely to be the
first painting that Morris completed. In 1956, whilst travelling extensively
throughout Portugal he returned with fellow plantsman Nigel Scott to paint the
same view as seen in the present work. In addition to this, during the same
trip in 1956 Morris painted an alternative view of the bay looking out towards
the Atlantic Ocean in a work entitled Arrábida
[Philip Mould & Company]. It is evident that Arrábida was a place of
great significance for Morris.

Between January and February 1956 Morris
travelled from Lagos in the South of Portugal up through the country passing
through Portinho da Arrábida and Lisbon along the way ending his trip in Caldas
da Rainha on the west coast. During this time Morris painted and wrote to Lett
describing his trip and travel plans over the coming months.

It is most likely that Morris would have painted en plein air as he was known to have
done so for all his 1920s landscapes. The loose and confident brushwork is a further
indication that he would have worked outside in the open air. Morris would
often take long walks when travelling with the intention of stumbling upon a
particularly appealing vista from which to draw inspiration. The resultant work
is one of free and determined composition. The jagged and exaggerated
undulations of the hills are complimented by the sweeping curvature of the bay.
Form is calmed by the soothing solidity of the expansive blue ocean behind that
surrounds the land in Morris’ work. This is yet another example of his supreme
ability to harmonise contrasting forms and colours into one unified and
appealing composition. Portugal was a source of great inspiration for him, in
particular the richness of the natural colours to be found among the languid
coastal views. During one of his numerous trips to Portugal Morris wrote to
Lett from Portinho da Arrábida stating that he had with him ‘cart-loads of
plants and 6 paintings – 4 [of which are] not bad’ [Tate 8317.1.4.191]. This is
most likely one of the works to which Morris is referring. This is a
fascinating glimpse into Morris’ creative habits whilst traveling. He was a
prolific painter both at home in England and abroad as well as being an ardent
collector of plant and vegetable specimens that he picked up on his travels.

The allure of plant collecting throughout the
region held a persistent attraction for Morris. His garden of rare plants and
propagated Irises at Benton End (Hadleigh, Suffolk) was renowned among
gardeners and artists alike as being among the finest private collections of
plants in the country. In this respect Morris was relentless in his search for
foreign species of plants and flowers from which he could draw inspiration both
as a painter and as a plantsman. In Portuguese
Bay it is the very essence of the place itself. The gentle lapping of the
surf as it makes contact with the surrounding cliffs, the light as it falls
upon the stuccoed building in the right foreground or the trail of the cove as
it bends in away from the North Atlantic Ocean. All of this is captured by
Morris in a moment of supreme painting investing the work with the quality
similar to the Impressionist method of painting en plein air. An outdoorsman by nature his painting of the
Portuguese coastline perfectly synthesises his proficiency when painting
landscapes.