Bonhams 1793 : Paul Feiler (British, born 1918) Porthledden, May 1960 61 x 102 cm. (24 x 40 1/8 in.)

Provenance:
with the Belgrave Gallery, St Ives, where acquired by the present owner

Porthledden Cove lies at the base of the cliffs of Cape Cornwall on the North Cornwall coast of Penwith. The Cape, the only in the U.K., juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and is exposed to storms. As a result the landscape is rugged and weatherbeaten, with rock beds littered with slate and granite boulders. Porthledden, May 1960 captures the mood of this dramatic coastline as the sea spray smashes against the dark rock and explodes from the canvas.

Feiler was appointed Head of Painting at the West of England College of Art in 1960 and quickly set about introducing a two week field trip to Cornwall in order for his students to experience the light and landscape which so influenced his artistic practice. They were encouraged to absorb the atmosphere in any and every way possible, frequently visiting the studios of other artists and discussing ideas with them in the local pubs.