§ Roland PENROSE (1900-1984) The Lambe Creek Mermaid Carved ...

Hammer

£16,000

§ Roland PENROSE (1900-1984) The Lambe Creek Mermaid Carved wooden figurehead of a mermaid. Famously acquired and painted by the surrealist Roland Penrose, and also photographed by, and with the photographer Lee Miller during the 'Surrealists in Cornwall' summer of 1937 at Lambe Creek, near Falmouth. Height 152cm Provenance: Roland Penrose to Beakus Penrose, thence by descent. In the summer of 1937 a group of surrealist poets, writers and painters gathered at a house ‘Lambe Creek,’ on the river near Truro in Cornwall. It was a ‘surrealist invasion’ according to Roland Penrose, who instigated the month-long, hedonistic party that followed. The house had been borrowed from his brother Beakus Penrose. The guests included Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Ady Fidelin, Eileen Agar, Joseph Bard, Paul and Nusch Éluard. Visitors included Henry Moore and his wife; Édourd Mesens, Belgian surrealist poet and dealer; and Joseph Bard, writer. Roland had also invited the American photographer and model Lee Miller, who he had just met and had fallen in love with. The infamous house party that followed at Lambe Creek, became known as the ‘Surrealists in Cornwall’ and has inspired subsequent exhibitions and books. During the holiday, Roland acquired this figurehead in Falmouth. She became known as the Lambe Creek Mermaid. We are fortunate that the photographs Lee Miller took at Lambe Creek were amongst the thousands of negatives discovered by her son Anthony Penrose after Lee’s death in 1977. There are several iconic images of Lee with the mermaid and of Roland painting her. After the holiday the mermaid was given to Roland’s brother Beakus, a gift to the house and a thank you for their stay. She has remained in the Penrose family ever since. She still bears Roland’s original paintwork, having never been retouched since 1937, when Roland undoubtedly painted her to resemble his new love Lee Miller. Although for many years she was described as a ship’s figurehead, we believe she was carved for a carousel or an adornment for a fairground attraction. Read our BLOG about the Lambe Creek Mermaid Images reproduced here by kind permission of the Lee Miller Archives Lee Miller [with figurehead], Lambe Creek, Cornwall, England 1937 by Roland Penrose Roland Penrose © Lee Miller Archives, England 2025. All rights reserved. leemiller.co.uk Roland Penrose, Lambe Creek, Cornwall, England 1937 by Lee Miller © Lee Miller Archives, England 2025. All rights reserved. leemiller.co.uk