A Victorian paintbox used by renowned Victorian painter, Charles Napier Hemy returns to the Roseland this Friday evening after over a hundred years.
As part of an exhibition of paintings by leading Cornish artist, Andrew Tozer, at an unused Victorian building at St Anthony, owned by the National Trust, Hemy’s paintbox will be on display in the place it was once thought to have been used.
The paintbox was discovered in an antique store in Falmouth – where Charles Napier Hemy used to live – by Andrew Tozer, who is a fan of the painter’s works. This discovery came just as an exhibition of a new collection of Andrew’s works was being organised through The Harbour Gallery in Portscatho for this May bank Holiday week.
Andrew told Roseland Online, “When I saw this item tucked away in an antique shop in Falmouth, I thought I must have that! As an enthusiastic ‘plein-airist’ I found it a fascinating object. Hemy may well have used it whilst painting at St.Anthony! He was a great friend of arguably the finest portrait painter of Edwardian society, John Singer Sargent. I loved the thought of these two having a chat with this sitting on the studio table beside them!”
The Andrew Tozer exhibition of some new works painted especially for this show will start with a lantern-lit open evening this Friday May 24th between 7 & 9pm. This exhibition – which will then run from Saturday 24th to Friday 31st from 11am – 4pm daily – is the start of Andrew’s year as artist-in-residence at The Old Paraffin Store, St Anthony.
10{c8c3b3d140ed11cb7662417ff7b2dc686ffa9c2daf0848ac14f76e68f36d0c20} of the takings for this exhibition will go towards the National Trust who have bent over backwards to support the use of this building which has been empty for decades since being used as the store for the Paraffin to light the lighthouse.
To see a video interview with Andrew Tozer about this exhibition which was filmed whilst he painted for this exhibition at St Anthony, click here. For more information on both this exhibition and the future exhibitions at St Anthony, click here of call The Harbour Gallery in Portscatho on 01872 580807 or email mark@theharbourgallery.co.uk. You can see a collection of Andrew’s works along with his St Anthony paintings by clicking here: www.theharbourgallery.co.uk/artists/andrew-tozer