Island Sheds St Ives II, 1940, oil on hardboard, BGT1072
Alfred Wallis: An Artists’ Artist
Discover the remarkable story of Alfred Wallis (1855–1942), the fisherman-turned-artist whose extraordinary paintings had a profound influence on Modern British art.
Having started painting at the age of 70, Wallis captured the harbours, fishing boats and coastlines of Cornwall from memory, working on discarded cardboard, packaging and household materials. His bold compositions, flattened perspective and instinctive use of colour captivated artists including Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Christopher Wood, Peter Lanyon and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, who recognised the originality of his vision.
We are delighted to be lending to the exhibition Barns-Graham’s Island Sheds St Ives II, 1940, a work she created in the first couple of months of arriving in St Ives and following her initial encounters with Alfred Wallis and his work.