Penlee House Gallery & Museum

Charcoal portrait of an older man in profile, showcasing detailed facial lines and a contemplative expression. The background is minimal, focusing on his features.

Work of the Week! Bernard Walke, c.1912 by Laura Knight (1877–1970)
Walke was the Vicar of St Hilary Church for over twenty years. He and his artist wife, Anne, were close friends of many of the ‘Lamorna Group’ of artists, and he invited several of them to decorate the church with religious panels.

Stanhope Forbes wearing a hat and white coat stands outdoors at an easel, painting beside a large umbrella, with trees and foliage in the background.

Remembering Stanhope Forbes, who died on this day in 1947 aged 89. A beloved figure in West Cornwall, he was still painting en plein air into the 1930s. He rests at Sancreed Parish Church with Elizabeth Adela Forbes, near Thomas Cooper Gotch.

Sip in style! This Newlyn Copper set is a seaside dream: oval tray with fluted centre, pyramidal teapot & hot water/milk jug with wicker handles, sugar bowl with scrolled handles, and clawed sugar tongs each adorned with cormorants, fish & seaweed.

Contentment, 1895 by George Ficklin (1835–1902) A man sits in a cosy, dimly lit room by a glowing fireplace, reading a newspaper. The scene conveys warmth and relaxation. A mug sits on a small table.

Calling all Friends of Penlee House 💛

Renewal reminders have been sent — thank you for your continued support of Penlee House Gallery & Museum.

Not yet a Friend? Join today for free admission, private view invites & 10% shop discount.

friendsofpenleehouse.org.uk/join/

“The Strand, Newlyn” (1919) by Ernest Procter depicts a Cornish coastal harbour scene in Newlyn, Cornwall, just after World War I. The painting shows a curved stone quay with small wooden fishing boats, including one under construction and others resting on the shore, while fishing nets are laid out to dry. A covered wagon, possibly delivering bread, travels along the waterfront road as townspeople walk nearby. Whitewashed cottages and pastel houses with red brick chimneys climb the green hillside in the background, near the site of the present-day Newlyn lifeboat station. The composition captures early 20th-century village life, maritime industry, and post-war British coastal community atmosphere in a soft, muted colour palette.

Guided Tour: Discover the Sheila Hichens Collection at The Steward’s House on St Michael’s Mount with art historian Catherine Wallace.

Hosted by Friends of Penlee House. 24 March at 2 pm. £20 Friends/£25 GA.

friendsofpenleehouse.org.uk/events/guide...

Impressionist painting of a harbour with sailboats docked, tall masts reflected in the water, colourful sails, and a townscape in the background. Peaceful and nostalgic.

Work of the Week!
French Crabbers, 1930 by Harold Harvey (1874 - 1941)

It is thought that the boats are actually from a little port called Douarnenez, which is near Brest in Brittany.

A profile portrait painting of Dod Procter with a short bob hairstyle, wearing a grey sweater and a pink and grey patterned scarf (possibly Crysede) tied at the neck against a black background.

Happy 10th birthday to @artukdotorg.bsky.social 🎉 One million artworks. Thousands of institutions. Available to everyone, at any time, for free.

Our ‘one in a million’ artwork from Art UK is Self Portrait by Dod Procter.

👉 Explore more at artuk.org

#ArtUK10thBirthday

Oooohh good idea! Will pass on to our curatorial team

Also tying in nicely with #MosaicMonday! The beautiful entrance mosaic bearing the name Crysede still survives at the former Penzance shop in Queen’s Square — a small but significant reminder of the town’s design heritage.

@romanpalace.bsky.social

We’re often asked why Penlee House Gallery & Museum doesn’t have a Crysede exhibition. We’d love to — but we simply don’t have enough mannequins yet. For now, you can enjoy our display in the museum and explore selected pieces through our online 3D scans.

Green silk dress with 'Eiffel Tower' design printed in red, pale green and white. The dress has a collar, tucks on the sleeves, large buttons down the back and a green belt with a yellow plastic buckle.

Linen Crysede coat in 'Godrevy' pattern in brown, tan, light and dark blue on cream background. Bought by the donor's mother in 1937, shortly before she left to visit Australia.

Black silk dress with a pattern in purple, pink, yellow, green and indigo. Short-sleeved, square neckline with ruching to left hand side, zip fastening on left hand side running from above the waist to the hip. Matching belt in the same fabric with a covered circular buckle.

As London Fashion Week closes, we’re celebrating beautiful Crysede ✨ Founded in 1920 in Newlyn by Alec Walker, its hand block-printed silks and linens — inspired by the Cornish landscape — became icons of British design.

Oil on canvas self-portrait of British artist Marjorie Frances “Midge” Bruford (1902–1958), depicting a contemplative woman with short wavy light brown hair and fair skin, seated indoors against a textured backdrop of cream and deep teal with a draped mustard-yellow fabric. She wears a white jacket with large green buttons over a high-neck black blouse, gazing slightly to the side with a thoughtful expression. Visible brushstrokes and muted earthy tones highlight the painterly technique and early 20th-century portrait style. Artwork titled “Self Portrait,” housed at Penlee House and purchased by the Friends of Penlee House in 2019.

🎨 Join Lorraine Downes for a fascinating talk on portraiture, exploring the “Face to Face” exhibition at Penlee House.

📅 3 March 2026 | 🕢 7:30 pm
📍 The Queen’s Hotel
🎟️ £7 Friends | £15 General

Book now!

friendsofpenleehouse.org.uk/events/talk-...

The Young Apprentice,
Newlyn Copperworks - 1908
Stanhope Alexander Forbes

John Drew MacKenzie, instigator of the Newlyn Industrial Class, instructing Johnny Payne Cotton (who produced Newlyn Copper until the 1950s).

@penleehousegallery.bsky.social
Penzance, Cornwall

#Art #NewlynSchool

1885 oil painting “A Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach” by Stanhope Forbes depicting a realistic seaside fish market scene in Newlyn, Cornwall, with fishermen and fisherwomen in traditional 19th-century clothing gathered on a wet sandy beach at low tide. In the foreground, freshly caught fish lie scattered on the shore beside a small wooden boat, while a bearded fisherman holds a string of fish and two women negotiate the sale. Fishing boats with brown sails rest in the shallow water under an overcast sky, illustrating everyday coastal working life and the naturalistic style of the Newlyn School.

Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is Of Land and Sea at @scarbsmuseums.bsky.social. Painted outdoors at Newlyn, it captures everyday fishing life and became a Newlyn School masterpiece. Painted outdoors on the spot Forbes battled wind, rain, and even a fainting model!

Painting of a young child with curly hair, wearing a red cape and white dress, set against a muted background. The expression is calm, evoking innocence.

Work of the Week!
Ruby, c.1908-9 by Thomas Cooper Gotch

This may be a portrait of Ruby Bone, a Newlyn girl, who was aged four in the 1911 census. However, the title could quite easily be symbolic, referring to the girl’s striking
red hair, rosy cheeks and red cape.

Black and white photo showing photographer Harry Penhaul in a houndstooth jacket, holding a vintage camera with a large flashbulb. He has a serious expression.

Looking for something creative to do tomorrow? Join us for a fun, hands-on activity inspired by photographer Harry Penhaul.

⏰ 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm📍 Penlee House 🎟 FREE – just drop in

A relaxed, creative session perfect for curious kids and families. Come along and let imaginations click into focus! 📷

A stylish lady in white (complete with hat) and a sharply dressed gentleman in a suit and bright white shoes embracing along a palm-lined path. Another couple strolls off into the distance, framed by lush shrubbery on either side, as if the gardens themselves are quietly chaperoning the romance.

Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️

Sending a little romance from Morrab Gardens in beautiful Penzance 🌴

“I am quite fascinated by the surroundings here…” This wonderfully humorous vintage postcard says it all.

Love is clearly in the air… or perhaps it’s just the scenery that’s so captivating! 💕

We spoke too soon! 🫣

Sorry, we got excited!

Historic white Penlee House building with arched windows under a clear blue sky. Foreground features a Celtic market cross and potted plants, conveying a serene atmosphere.

Breaking news: the sky is blue. I repeat, BLUE. There’s a giant glowing orb in it—experts are calling it “the sun.” It’s not raining, no dramatic clouds, no moody soundtrack. Just suspiciously pleasant weather. I don’t trust it. Who approved this brightness? #Cornwall #BritishWeather

Elderly man adjusts a vintage radio on a wooden table while an elderly woman watches attentively, both dressed in early 20th-century attire.

Anything good on the wireless? 📻

For World Radio Day, a 1950s reproduction magic lantern slide by Harry Penhaul. By 1939, 3/4 of UK homes had a radio — the heart of family life, sharing news, music, and laughter before streaming existed! 🎶

#WorldRadioDay #VintageRadio #Nostalgia #RadioHistory

Dreaming Head (1938) by John Armstrong, tempera on wood painting featuring a surreal female head with closed eyes emerging from a rocky landscape, blonde curled hair resting among brown earth and stone formations. Pale blue morning glory flowers with green vines spread across the foreground, creating a dreamlike, symbolic composition. Distant white cliffs and rolling hills under a soft blue sky enhance the ethereal, surrealist atmosphere. Classic British surrealism artwork with muted earth tones and delicate floral details.

Today’s @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is Strange & Subtle.

We’ve chosen John Armstrong’s Dreaming Head (1938, tempera on wood, Tate). Though he distanced himself from Surrealism, he drew on dreams and subconscious memory. Quiet, uncanny, poised between sleep and waking.

Children in old-fashioned clothing and bonnets follow a man playing a pipe in a red hat into a dark forest. The scene is tense and moody, with a sense of mystery.

Work of the Week! The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Elizabeth Adela Forbes

This wonderfully evocative image must have been inspired by Robert Browning’s poem about the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

@artfund.bsky.social @museumsworcs.bsky.social
@artukdotorg.bsky.social

Zandvoort Fishergirl (1884) by Elizabeth Adela Forbes – oil on canvas portrait of a young Dutch fisher girl standing indoors, holding a green basin with freshly caught fish. The girl wears a dark long-sleeve blouse and a light blue apron over a skirt, her hand resting on her hip. She has fair skin, brown hair parted at the centre and tied back, and a serious, contemplative expression. The background features a rustic interior with muted blue-grey tiled walls, soft natural window light, and warm terracotta floor tiles, creating a moody, realistic atmosphere: 19th-century European realism art, coastal life genre painting, traditional fishing culture portrait.

✨Making Her Mark: A Celebration of Women in Art✨
Discover a powerful new exhibition at Penlee House (30 April – 27 September 2026) celebrating the impact and legacy of women artists - over 50 remarkable works spanning from the 1850s to today.

Find out more: penleehouse.org.uk/exhibition/m...

A female theatre volunteer with curly hair, wearing a vest labelled "CREW" and a floral dress, walks away on a lined surface, holding rubbish. The scene suggests a work environment.

Sketch of three people seated from behind, facing a lined backdrop. Each has distinct hairstyles and clothing; they sit closely, suggesting camaraderie.

Two men with suspenders, their backs turned. They wear patterned trousers. A sketch-like texture with a calm tone.

🎭 Social History Display: Penlee Open Air Theatre Artist’s Residency, 2025 Featuring: Isadora Malik | Until Saturday 14 February

We hope this display gives you a glimpse into the magic of the 2025 season. Don’t miss it!

Victorian seaside promenade with people, a child, and dogs. Overcast sky, wet ground reflects figures holding umbrellas. Distant buildings set a serene tone.

It's #NationalUmbrellaDay ☔️
And we couldn't think of a better painting to share than Norman Garstin's painting 'The Rain It Raineth Every Day', painted in 1889.

#MuseumSuperBowl 🏆 Our Newlyn Copper rose bowl, c.1900, is showing off fish & seaweed in repousse. Even the other objects are whispering, “Wow… It’s extra. Again.” 🐟✨

In this case, the ball had eventually ended up in ten feet of water at Pednolver Point at the western end of Porthminster Beach. After an hour and a half, Terry Magor successfully dived to retrieve it and returned the ball to the mayor thereby claiming the five shillings reward.

Black-and-white historical photograph showing dozens of schoolchildren and several adults clustered on jagged rocks at Pednolver Point, Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, leaning forward with arms outstretched toward the sea during the St Ives Feast festivities. Below them, a young man Terry Magor in the water reaches up from the waves after diving to recover the traditional silver ball thrown by the mayor, an event recorded in February 1956. The image captures mid-20th-century Cornish coastal life, local tradition, dramatic rocky shoreline, and the excitement of the silver ball ceremony, with spectators watching the successful retrieval from deep water.

We hope no one had to take a dip today at the St Ives Feast! 🌊🏊‍♂️

St Ives Feast, 1952-53
Harry Penhaul (1914 - 1957)

As part of the St Ives Feast Festivities, a silver ball is traditionally thrown by the mayor of St Ives from the Churchyard Wall to a crowd of children on the beach.