During the 1920s William McCance lived in London, where this work was painted. The semi-abstract style shows the influence of the London avant-garde art scene on McCance. It is comparable with works by Wyndham Lewis and William Roberts, and indeed, the artist had a close connection with Roberts, who rented a room in McCance’s flat. The forms in the painting have an ominous feel. The structures in the foreground suggest a military gun battery, while the white shapes at the top of the picture may be coastal cliffs, primed against attack. An unusual feature of the work is the shaped hardboard frame laid over the canvas, which underlines the modernity of the composition.