This oil painting shows St Peter’s Church in Brighton. It was painted by J Attree in 1846.
Hung out to dry
St Peter’s Church was a popular subject for 19th century artists in Brighton.
The church is situated within the valley that runs north from the Old Steine and most artists would depict the church from within the valley. Here the streets were mostly lined by fashionable housing.
This view is taken from the hillsides where Brighton’s poorer residents often lived. As a result, the painting captures small details of working class life, from hanging out the washing to minding a child while working.