Decoding Alberto Martinez’s Masterpiece ‘Torquay’: The Story Behind the Painting
If you’ve ever spent time admiring ‘Torquay’ by Alberto Martinez, you’ll know it is far more than just a beautiful view of the English Riviera. Available as a canvas heat-sealed framed print or as a high-quality paper giclee print, this spectacular piece is a masterclass in visual storytelling and surreal humour.
Every single element in this rich composition—from the characters and creatures on the docks to the books stacked in the foreground—relates directly to Torquay’s history, heritage, famous residents, seaside culture, and local legends.
Here is your ultimate guide to decoding all the hidden details and local references scattered across Alberto Martinez’s iconic harbour scene.
1. Torquay Icons: Agatha Christie & Miranda Hart
At the bottom left of the image, seated comfortably on a harbour bench overlooking the water, sits a bronze statue of Agatha Christie—Torquay’s most famous literary daughter and the Queen of Crime with Hercule Poirot standing next to the bench.
Resting right beside her on the bench is a bright red cushion embroidered with the words "Such Fun!". This is a direct, playful nod to comedian, writer, and actress Miranda Hart, who was born in Torquay and made the catchphrase famous.
2. Television History: Fawlty Towers, Manuel & The Krankies
Torquay’s legendary TV and comedy associations feature heavily along the boardwalk and harbour:
- Fawlty Towers: Perched on the hill just above the monarch butterfly sits a depiction of the famous Fawlty Towers hotel from Basil Fawlty’s iconic comedy series (which was inspired by a real-life hotel stay in Torquay).
- Manuel and his rat Bazil: Standing right under the rounded archway on the boardwalk in front of the woolly mammoth is Manuel, the lovable, bumbling Spanish waiter with his rat just in front of him from the icon the series Fawlty Towers.
- "Fan-Dabby-Dozy" Boat: Floating in the harbour, just above and to the right of Agatha Christie, is a boat flying a flag stamped with "Fan-Dabby-Dozy." This iconic catchphrase belongs to The Krankies, celebrating the legendary British entertainers who lived in Torquay.
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Historic Royalty & Local Characters
- Queen Victoria: Positioned on the boardwalk right in front of the large cigar is Queen Victoria. Her visits to Torquay as a young princess (landing at Victoria Parade) helped put the town on the map as a premier resort destination.
- Ozzy the Gallery Dog: Floating peacefully in the lower foreground on a paddleboard next to the stack of books is a paddleboarder accompanied by a small dog. That dog is none other than Ozzy, our very own beloved gallery dog!
- The Mischievous Seagull: Soaring high on the far right is a classic seaside seagull but flying off with the Holy Grail “Monty Python and the Wholy Grail” was filmed in and around Torquay!
- Mysterious Figures: Keep an eye out for other intriguing figures scattered across the scene, including a glamorous lady in red, Gorgia Toffolo who won I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Miss Marple and D Day landing soldier on the right boardwalk.
4. The Great Scone Debate: Devon vs. Cornwall
Down in the bottom-right corner, next to a classic silver teapot and a fresh cup of tea, sits a traditional cream tea with two distinctly prepared scones:
- The Devon Way (Left Scone): Cream spread first, topped with jam.
- The Cornish Way (Right Scone): Jam spread first, topped with cream.
Martinez includes both side-by-side as a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the long-standing, friendly rivalry between Devon and Cornwall over the "correct" way to serve a cream tea.
5. Prehistoric History: The Kents Cavern Mammoth
Standing proudly on the right-hand pier is a full-sized Woolly Mammoth. Far from being random surrealism, this is a tribute to Kents Cavern, Torquay's famous prehistoric cave system. Important ice-age fossils—including mammoth teeth and tusks—have been excavated from the caves over the centuries, marking Torquay as a vital site in Britain’s ancient history. This is a personal favourite of Fiona’s-it’s mind boggling to picture these magnificent beasts roaming around the bay thousands of years ago.
6. A Tribute to Local Literature & Authors
Books form a prominent part of the foreground architecture, celebrating famous authors with ties to Torquay:
- Lesley Pearse, Sarah Pearse, Sue Tingey and Rachel Trethewey: The stacks of books on the lower left feature titles like The Woman in the Wood and The Retreat, honouring the hugely successful local bestselling authors.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning: On the right pier sits a red poetry book labelled POEMS, alongside a tribute to The Browning’s, celebrating the historic Victorian poets who spent significant time in Torquay.
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Maritime Heritage, Displays & Seaside Delights
- The Red Arrows: Soaring over the harbour ferris wheel (The Torquay Eye), the iconic aerobatic team performs their signature smoke display, celebrating the annual Torbay Airshow.
- Dolphins: Leaping gracefully near the pontoon, a pair of dolphins highlights the thriving marine life off the South Devon coastline.
- HMS Beagle & Charles Darwin: Moored on the left harbour wall is the famous masted tall ship HMS Beagle. Best known for carrying legendary naturalist Charles Darwin on his historic five-year voyage of discovery—which inspired his groundbreaking book On the Origin of Species—the Beagle has deep ties to South Devon's maritime history after setting sail on its world-changing expedition right from Plymouth Sound following sea trials along the coastline.
- Charles Darwin: In 1861 Charles Darwin stayed in Torquay at a house overlooking Meadfoot Beach where the Osbourne Hotel now is to rest and recover from health issues.
- Fish & Chips: Sitting right on the dock in the centre-left is an oversized portion of British fish, chips, and mushy peas—an indispensable part of any seaside outing.
8. Whimsical Toys and Surreal Cameos
Part of the magic of Alberto Martinez’s work is the endless array of playful, toy-like cameos hidden in plain sight:
- Giant Snail: A massive garden snail crawling along the wooden walkway near the harbour edge. A nod to Alberto’s Cuban heritage.
- Retro Tennis Racket: Leaning against the archway structure on the right pontoon, Sue Barker born in the bay 1956.
- Frankenstein’s Monster: Mary Shelly spent some time in Torquay just before writing the famous Frankenstein tale. While here, she wrote, The Lost Children’s Story “Maurice”.
- Bear with the Hula Skirt (Balloo): Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book in 1894 and lived in Torquay from 1896 to 1898.
- Seal balancing a ball: Seals regularly come into the bay as well as the harbour although we have never seen one balancing a ball. Yet!!
- Green Solders: On June the 2nd and June 5th 1944 American troops and vehicles began loading onto landing craft from the concrete slipway at Beacon Quay for operation Overlord.
- Oscar Wild: Next to the seal is a Lego figure, this is Oscar Wild proudly wearing his dramatic cape as part of his aesthetic dandyism to express his artistic identity. Lived in Torquay in 1892-93 at Babbacombe Cliff House.
Bring ‘Torquay’ Into Your Home
Whether you are a Torbay local, a frequent visitor to the English Riviera, or an avid collector of surreal contemporary fine art, Alberto Martinez’s Torquay offers new details to discover every time you look at it.
Explore 'Torquay' by Alberto Martinez in our online gallery or visit us in-store to view the framed canvas heat-sealed and paper print editions today.
