House with Trees - Alfred Wallis

A characteristic work by Cornish artist Alfred Wallis, featuring his signature flattened perspective and raw, unadorned style on a cardboard-like surface.

Alfred Wallis, a former Cornish fisherman, began painting in his late sixties following the death of his wife. His work is defined by a lack of formal training, which allowed him to develop a unique visual language free from the constraints of academic perspective. Wallis typically painted on salvaged materials, such as cardboard boxes or scraps of wood, often using limited palettes of ship paint. This specific work, House with Trees, demonstrates his characteristic approach to spatial arrangement. The composition ignores traditional depth, instead presenting elements in a flattened, schematic manner that prioritises the clarity of the subject matter over realistic representation.

The scene features a central dwelling flanked by tall, dark trees that dominate the upper portion of the frame. The use of a muted green background provides a stark contrast to the grey tones of the architecture and the foliage. Wallis often signed his works directly onto the surface, as seen here with the clear inscription in the upper corner. His approach to form is direct and unadorned, reflecting his life in St Ives and his memories of the Cornish coast. By rejecting the conventions of the art world, Wallis created images that possess a raw, immediate quality. His output was discovered by Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood in 1928, which brought his work to the attention of the wider London art scene. Despite this recognition, Wallis continued to paint in isolation, maintaining his singular vision until his death. This print captures the texture and immediacy of his original cardboard support, offering a glimpse into the creative process of one of Britain's most celebrated self-taught artists.