Alfred Wallis 1855 - 1942

Alfred Wallis was born in Plymouth in 1855 and worked as a mariner aboard fishing boats in the 1890s. He ran a marine scrap business in St Ives and began painting in his late sixties after the death of his wife in 1922. Wallis met Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood in St Ives in 1928 and they began to collect his work and encouraged him to continue working. In 1929 Nicholson exhibited some of his paintings in the '7 & 5 Society' exhibition. Alfred Wallis died in the Madron Institute, Cornwall in 1942.

works in the collection - 8

PAC/040

There is no conventional perspective within the image, and the vessels in the lower right corner offer two contradictory orientations. Yet, Wallis presents a unified vision for all elements of the image are represented in profile within the rising perspective. 'Three ships and lighthouse' is painted on the opposite side of this work.

St Ives Harbour: white sailing ship, circa 1934 - 8


PAC/042

The image is painted on the reverse of another work, St Ives Harbour: White Sailing Ship. This was a common practice for Wallis who often utilised any available surface for his work including a bellows, a jam jar and part of a tabletop.

Three ships and lighthouse, circa 1934 - 8


PAC/045

Only 40 feet above sea level, the original Longships lighthouse was often obscured by rough seas or fog and several ships sank on the rocks despite its presence. Wallis' grave has a ceramic tiled headstone by the potter Bernard Leach that features a lighthouse. 'Headland with two three-masters' is painted on the opposite side of this work.

Against Longships fog, circa 1934 - 8


PAC/046

Wallis painted many of his images from memory, both of recently witnessed events and scenes of his youth. The detailing of the two ships, which includes the reefing points on the sails, reveals Wallis' knowledge of maritime life. 'Against Longships fog' is painted on the opposite side of this work.

Headland with two three-masters, circa 1934 - 8


PAC/043

Many of Wallis' paintings were untitled and received speculative titles in subsequent years. Although Wallis received support from both Ben Nicholson and Adrian Stokes following his removal from St Ives to the Penwith District Workhouse in 1941, many of his works were destroyed or dispersed. 'Yacht, pink and green' is painted on the opposite side of this work.

St Ives Harbour and Godrevy (?), circa 1934 - 8


PAC/044

Unlike the image on the reverse of this board, 'St Ives harbour and Godrevy', Wallis employs a greater degree of modelling in his paint surfaces and more conventionally structured perspective. Often Wallis includes ambiguous objects in his images, such as the grey cross shapes in this work, which may be trees.

Yacht, pink and green, circa 1934 - 8


PAC/041

Wallis was an ex-mariner and retired marine scrap merchant living in St Ives when he painted this work. He began painting in 1925 at the age of 70. Due to his financial difficulties his works are predominantly painted on pieces of card, board and paper collected as scrap.

White sailing ship - three masts, circa 1934 - 8


PAC/058

Although self taught, Wallis developed an economy of line and sense of composition that belies the perception of him as na•ve. Artists such as Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood were drawn to Wallis' innate abilities as an artist, which they valued for its directness and clarity.

Black Steamship, circa 1934 - 8