Painted in about 1899 (Hughes exhibited a similar picture, Porthleven: Boats Going Out, the same size as our picture, at the fine art society in 1900, no.344), Hughes' landscapes at this time were more loosely handled than those of his Pre-Raphaelite days, in tune with the new spirit of direct painting imported from France, but he never lost his love of bold, bright colour. 

Painted c.1899, Roberts lists an untraced picture of similar title (Porthleven: Boats Going Out, no. 344), the same size as our picture. That picture was exhibited at The Fine Art Society in 1900.