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Lost Art Returns Home After 120 Years
21 Mar
Summary
- Painting returns to original location after 120 years.
- Penlee House curator highlights Langley's local significance.
- £65,000 was raised to secure the artwork's purchase.
An 18th-century oil painting, "Cornish Fisherfolk," created in 1908 by Walter Langley, founder of the Newlyn School, is set to go on permanent display near its original creation site. After being owned by Waverley Borough Council and on loan for 14 years, Penlee House has successfully acquired the artwork for £65,000.
The painting's history includes a sale for £100 in 1910 and a subsequent bequest to a forerunner of Waverley Borough Council. The acquisition was made possible through support from various arts organizations, including the Arts Council England and the Victoria & Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund.
Penlee House curator Katie Herbert noted the gallery's significant collection of Langley's work, emphasizing the fitting nature of this acquisition. Langley, from a working-class background, was inspired by the hardships depicted in Newlyn's harbor village.
