A recently unearthed painting by renowned Cornish artist Alfred Wallis has sold for £20,000 (approximately $25,000) at auction, marking a significant discovery in the art world. The artwork, created by the self-taught St Ives artist, is believed to depict Scotland's iconic Forth Rail Bridge and represents a rare example of Wallis painting Scottish landscapes.
The painting is thought to show the Forth Rail Bridge, which can be seen in the bottom left portion of the work. According to art historian and Wallis biographer Matilda Webb, the Devon-born artist likely witnessed the bridge in 1894, just four years after its official opening, when the St Ives fishing fleet sailed around the British coast. This timing would place Wallis at the newly constructed landmark during his years as a fisherman, before he turned to painting later in life.
William Summerfield from Roseberys, the London auction house that handled the sale, emphasized the rarity and significance of the piece. "Wallis rarely painted Scottish scenes and this long-lost work, unseen for almost a century, is a remarkable example of his virtuosic sense of color and mood," Summerfield explained. He also expressed hope that the painting would find its way into a Scottish art collection, given its subject matter and historical importance.
The painting had remained in private hands for nearly 90 years before going under the hammer. It was originally given to Muriel "Robin" Rate by art collector Jim Ede, who founded the renowned Kettle's Yard gallery in Cambridge. The artwork has stayed within Rate's family ever since, making this auction the first time the painting appeared on the open market.
According to Webb, the painting provides new insights into Wallis's travels and experiences. The artwork suggests that the artist was "more widely traveled than previously thought," as he was known to have ventured to the North Sea with the Mount's Bay fleet to fish for herring. Webb believes there is circumstantial evidence that Wallis may have joined the St Ives fleet on its annual voyage in 1894, possibly seeking a fresh start after a court case that caused him "significant mental anguish" and damaged his standing in the local community.
Wallis didn't begin his artistic career until 1925, when he was 70 years old. He turned to painting as a way to combat loneliness following his wife's death, after retiring from his lifelong career as a fisherman. This means he would have painted the Forth Rail Bridge entirely from memory, decades after witnessing it during his fishing days. The auction house noted that Wallis became known for his "naive style and maritime subject matter," which made him a distinctive figure in the art world.
The timing of the auction proved particularly meaningful, coinciding with several important anniversaries. Webb noted that the sale was "well-timed" as it marked the 100th anniversary of Wallis beginning his painting career, the 135th anniversary of the Forth Rail Bridge's opening, and the 10th anniversary of the bridge being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These converging anniversaries added historical significance to the already notable sale of this long-lost masterpiece.
