Alfred Wallis latest news & articles

~~ 25 October 2025 ~~

A new record sale price has been achieved for an Alfred Wallis painting. The previous record was held by 'St Ives Bay with Godrevy' (first image), which sold at Sotheby's in 2012 for just over £145,000.

That record has now been broken - 'Mount’s Bay' (second image) achieved an impressive £184,150 at Christie's on Thursday.

It is to be hoped that the painting has been aquired by a gallery for public display.

~~ 17 October 2025 ~~

Lay's Fine Art announced today, "We have some very exciting news...We are delighted to be hosting the wonderful Matilda Webb and Ethan Carney on Thursday, 20th November, to discuss all things Alfred Wallis.

The event marks the launch of Matilda’s fascinating book, Alfred Wallis Child Pauper To Artistic Luminary, released earlier this year. Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the night (what a gorgeous Christmas gift!).

The launch will also coincide with the opening night of our fabulous Cornish Art Sale. We'd love you all to be there! Join us on Thursday, 20 November, from 5:30 pm; talk begins at 6:00pm, ends at 7:30pm."

~~ 15 October 2025 ~~

Two Ships and Steamer Past a Port – Falmouth and St Anthony Lighthouse by Alfred Wallis is now on show at Frieze Masters at Regent's Park until 19 October, and then at Osborne Samuel Gallery, 21 Cork Street, from 21 October - 14 November.

Painted in the 1930s, this wonderful painting is rich in maritime detail, including the buoy marking the treacherous Manacles Reef, the Lizard Lighthouse, and a tiny St Michael’s Mount and Penzance harbour beyond. The scene may capture the anticipation of the crews of the two Mount's Bay luggers - returning home to Penzance from the North Sea herring fishing grounds off Scarborough, just as Wallis did in the 1870s.

~~ 14 October 2025 ~~

Two further previously unseen Alfred Wallis paintings are to be auctioned at Christie's Modern British and Irish Art auction on 23 October 2025.

I particularly love the painting of the two-masted topsail schooner sailing on a more colourful sea than Wallis's usual depiction of it in tones of grey and white. If you look closely, you can see the lovely detail of a man walking along a path behind the lighthouse, and two dogs running towards him.

~~ 28 September 2025 ~~

So exciting to see seven wonderful Alfred Wallis paintings at the British Art Fair 2025. The previously unseen paintings, being shown at the Saatchi Gallery this weekend, all belonged to Ben Nicholson, likely purchased directly from Wallis or received in the many parcels Wallis sent him over the years.

I particularly love the brig with furled sails (1) and the house with birds and animals (2). The latter was a 'new' subject that Nicholson admired, writing to tell Wallis so from his studio in Hampstead. The letter is undated but may have been written in 1933, when Wallis wrote to Nicholson: "glad you like them i thought it would Be a Change as i have got ships of all kinds here now".

The small pencil sketch on paper (3) is also captivating. Wallis's step-grandson Jacob said that Wallis used to draw on small scraps of paper even when he was running the marine stores on the Wharf (1897 to 1911). It is exciting to think that this could possibly be an early example! What I love about it is how, despite its tiny size (5.7 × 7.6 cm), Wallis still conveys the movement of the sea and of the fishing luggers sailing between two lighthouses.

Another fascinating painting (4) shows a very rare attempt by Wallis to depict a sailing ship from above.