The humble anchovy is a tiny little fish. Most renowned for topping pizzas and dividing opinion, they are not to everyone’s taste. But, whether they are your choice of delicacy or not, they are the most beautiful looking fish. Tiny in size but huge in colour, there is every shade of the rainbow reflected in their distinctive silvery scales.
Sea life and natural world painter Giles Ward was long admired these wonderful little fishes for their colours, a gift for an artist drawn to nature’s wonderful imagination.
Now for the first time, one of Giles’ distinctive paintings has been brought to life as a print: Both as a strictly limited edition signed Giclée Art Print and as a Large Art Print.
‘LET’S PLAY’
Limited Edition Signed Print – framed or unframed
‘LET’S PLAY’
LARGE ART PRINT – unframed
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ANCHOVY
The European anchovy is widespread throughout the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, extending into the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Despite the name, the European anchovy is commonly found all around the coast of Africa, way down to the Cape of Good Hope. In British waters they are most common along the coast of south west of England.
The European anchovy live in huge shoals in shallow seas staying close to shore. They can tolerate water with extremely low salinity and have been known to swim up rivers and estuaries. They have also been found in saltwater lakes and lagoons. In colder winters European anchovy may head to offshore waters and live at depths of several hundred metres.
Did you know – fisherman prefer to fish anchovies on nights with a full moon as, with their distinctive silvery bodies, they shine in the water under the moonlight.