An American in Penzance, Chapter Seven

 

Here is why Penzance reigns supreme, at least for me: for all of the silly comparisons made between Penzance and her sister cities, none of them has such a beautiful place as Penlee House Museum. Or Penlee Park, for that matter.

I discovered them completely by chance heading out for a stroll with my infant son in his pushchair. A short meandering uphill, instead of down, took us to the foot of Penlee Park with its wonderful, lush playground, vivid with the sounds, colours, and kinetic frenzy of happy children. We continued uphill, past surprisingly exotic verdure, and at the top of the park we discovered Penlee House, sitting like a proud Cuban villa presiding over its plantation. And since those first few moments that I walked in and was nearly crushed by the power of the Dame Laura Knight exhibition, Penlee House has been like the beautiful girl who gives me heart palpitations and makes me want to see her again and again. Great painting will do that for one. At least for this one.

And for many others also, I’m happy to say. If you go there this December, you will see an exhibition which hangs the work of contemporary artists who have been inspired by works from the museum’s collection, side by side with those very works. Happily, the exhibition has accepted a painting by this artist, a portrait of his landlady’s daughter. Can you imagine what it must be like for us living artists, to be in such a show? In popular terms: it would be like a soccer fan…er…excuse me…football fan sharing a flat with David Beckham. For six weeks.

I’m no football fan, I confess, and would probably be irritated by David tracking his muddy sneakers…er…trainers all over the flat…and that he would constantly leave me to load the dishwasher. Happily, however, rooming with Elizabeth Stanhope Forbes for six weeks in this exhibition will leave me with no such predicaments. Victorian women are so much tidier than twenty-first century male athletes!