Three Trees and Houses

Alfred Wallis often returned to the same subject, notably St Ives Bay and Mount’s Bay (see lot 131 in the current sale), places that he knew well and had sailed in regularly. The subject of three trees and houses is also one that he painted a number of times, although we can only speculate about the exact location and his reason for painting this subject. It is not clear what caught Wallis's imagination, but compare Landscape with Two Large Trees and Houses (Kettle’s Yard, AW99), and a variation with three trees, House with Trees (Kettle’s Yard, AW33), as well as Cottages in a Wood, St Ives (Kettle's Yard, AW35).