Alfred Wallis found his way to art late in life. At the age of 70, the Englishman picked up a brush for the first time and then, until his death, never stopped painting. As a young man he worked on sailing ships and fishing boats, spending most of his time at sea. He hoisted sails and climbed around in the rigging, always high up between the sky and the water, in all kinds of weather. But in the early 20th century, seafaring changed: sails were replaced by steam engines, and the profession he loved so much slowly died out. Wallis was getting older and his skills were no longer in demand because of the new technologies.
Painting was a way for him to express his longing for the sea. His art is a tribute to the world he knew, which had changed completely during his life. Wallis therefore painted not what he saw in front of him, but scenes from his memory. Realism was unimportant to him, it was more about capturing cherished moments. The feeling of waves, the flutter of tautly stretched sails, and lighthouses showing the way on a foggy day. Wallis brought all these impressions to life with his playful works. He belonged to the so-called "Naive Painting". This style gave him a lot of freedom, as he threw the rules of perspective and lifelike depiction overboard. Instead of showing reality as it is, naive painting brings personal feelings to the fore. The things that evoke strong feelings in a painter are often depicted larger than they are in relation to other objects. In each corner of the painting, the angle of view is different. Some details are worked out precisely, while other objects are only roughly sketched. This makes naive paintings seem childlike and like something out of a dream. They take the viewer into the artist's mind and show how he experienced the world and what was close to his heart.
Wallis became quite famous locally with his work, but was never able to make enough money from it. He lived in poverty until old age. He therefore painted on any material that he could find. Instead of canvases, he used wooden boards and cardboard, and painted with paints he could buy from a ship chandler. As a result, his paintings have a very honest character. Everything about them reflects Wallis' life exactly as it was. They are like a snapshot of his personality and the turbulent changes of his time. Even though he was not able to enjoy his fame during his lifetime, he managed to capture his memories and feelings for posterity. Today, his art is highly respected and still exhibited and traded.
Alfred Wallis found his way to art late in life. At the age of 70, the Englishman picked up a brush for the first time and then, until his death, never stopped painting. As a young man he worked on sailing ships and fishing boats, spending most of his time at sea. He hoisted sails and climbed around in the rigging, always high up between the sky and the water, in all kinds of weather. But in the early 20th century, seafaring changed: sails were replaced by steam engines, and the profession he loved so much slowly died out. Wallis was getting older and his skills were no longer in demand because of the new technologies.
Painting was a way for him to express his longing for the sea. His art is a tribute to the world he knew, which had changed completely during his life. Wallis therefore painted not what he saw in front of him, but scenes from his memory. Realism was unimportant to him, it was more about capturing cherished moments. The feeling of waves, the flutter of tautly stretched sails, and lighthouses showing the way on a foggy day. Wallis brought all these impressions to life with his playful works. He belonged to the so-called "Naive Painting". This style gave him a lot of freedom, as he threw the rules of perspective and lifelike depiction overboard. Instead of showing reality as it is, naive painting brings personal feelings to the fore. The things that evoke strong feelings in a painter are often depicted larger than they are in relation to other objects. In each corner of the painting, the angle of view is different. Some details are worked out precisely, while other objects are only roughly sketched. This makes naive paintings seem childlike and like something out of a dream. They take the viewer into the artist's mind and show how he experienced the world and what was close to his heart.
Wallis became quite famous locally with his work, but was never able to make enough money from it. He lived in poverty until old age. He therefore painted on any material that he could find. Instead of canvases, he used wooden boards and cardboard, and painted with paints he could buy from a ship chandler. As a result, his paintings have a very honest character. Everything about them reflects Wallis' life exactly as it was. They are like a snapshot of his personality and the turbulent changes of his time. Even though he was not able to enjoy his fame during his lifetime, he managed to capture his memories and feelings for posterity. Today, his art is highly respected and still exhibited and traded.
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