Lost Alfred Wallis Masterpiece of Forth Bridge Fetches £20K at Auction

A newly discovered painting by Alfred Wallis, a well-known self-taught artist from St Ives, has been sold for £20,000 at a London auction. Wallis, who was born in Devon and spent most of his life working as a fisherman, created the painting showing houses beside a river at night, with the arches of the Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland visible in the bottom left corner. The painting uses mainly teal, black, and grey colors, giving it a moody and semi-abstract look. Experts believe Wallis saw the Forth Rail Bridge in 1894, four years after it opened, when the St Ives fishing fleet traveled around the British coast. Matilda Webb, Wallis's biographer, thinks this trip happened after Wallis faced a difficult court case that affected his mental health and reputation in his community. The painting had been kept in a private collection for nearly 90 years before being put up for auction. William Summerfield from Roseberys auction house said that Wallis rarely painted Scottish scenes, making this artwork especially unique. He praised Wallis's skill in using color and mood to create a powerful image and said it would be wonderful to see the painting end up in a Scottish collection. Wallis only began painting in the 1920s after retiring from fishing, starting at the age of 70 to help cope with loneliness after his wife's death. His art is known for its 'naive style' and focus on maritime subjects, such as ships and ports. According to Matilda Webb, the painting of the Forth Rail Bridge shows that Wallis traveled more widely than people previously thought. She believes there is evidence that he joined the St Ives fleet on its annual journey in 1894, which may have inspired the painting. Wallis painted the bridge from memory many years later, after he had stopped fishing. The auction was well-timed, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Wallis's painting career, the 135th anniversary of the Forth Rail Bridge's opening, and 10 years since the bridge was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The painting was originally given to Muriel 'Robin' Rate by Jim Ede, a famous art collector and founder of Kettle's Yard in Cambridge, and it remained in her family until now. This was the first time the painting had been offered for sale to the public. Wallis is best known for his paintings of ports, ships, and coastal scenes, but he also created other works, such as a painting of two teenage boys on a beach. His art continues to attract interest and inspire stories about his life and travels.