‘The Legend of King Arthur , A Pre Raphaelite Love Story ‘ at Falmouth Art Gallery, 17 June to 30 Sept 2023.

‘The Legend of King Arthur , A Pre Raphaelite Love Story ‘ at Falmouth Art Gallery, 17 June to 30 Sept 2023. Walking into the show is to enter a different world, dimly lit, where romantic tales of voluptuous sad women and dark knights hopelessly in love with them can overwhelm the imagination. This is from a time when hundreds of hours could be spent by people paid to hand embroider and weave wall decorations. I would have liked some medieval lute music or a pipe organ to accompany my absorbed enjoyment of the brooding atmospheres and detailed narratives. One note of humour relieves the seriousness as Simeon Solomon’s cartoon is discovered, ‘Sir Galipot bearing the Holy Gruel’

It’s a treat to have some preparatory works close by the finished versions of the paintings. In the case of the ‘Lady of Shalott’ by John William Waterhouse which belongs to Falmouth Gallery, the sketch has a remarkable life and energy in the brushstrokes and the red paint looks as if it was applied that morning. The finished item has more symbols and a higher degree of finish and is less exciting.

The stories of the artists and their love interests sets add another layer of intrigue to the experience. I thoroughly recommend this exhibition, which is free to visit. Mon to Sat, 10 - 5.