NO. 4 ARTIST'S PAINT BOX

Alfred Wallis painted this lovely scene, of a two-masted topsail schooner passing land, on an artist's paint box. On the reverse (second image) he painted gated orchards with trees in blossom.

Although not obvious, both scenes may be related. In Wallis's day, the River Fal was a major commercial waterway, with schooners and other small cargo vessels serving Truro. With a mild, sheltered climate, fruit growing was an established part of the Fal Valley economy, with orchards, particularly of plum trees, a common site along the creeks and slopes.