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Visit Penlee House & Museum

Penlee House is a Gallery, Museum, Cafe and Shop. Situated within Penlee Park, a space to reflect and great for family visits.

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A space for exhibitions & events

Alongside our Exhibition programme we run a variety of community events and workshops. The Newlyn School and Social history galleries change often. Find out what’s on.

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A space to learn

Penlee House is committed to lifelong learning. We run workshops for all age groups and offer a school workshop programme.

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A space for all

Built in 1865, as the home of the Branwell family. Penlee House is home to many paintings by members of the Newlyn School. It is also home to the Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society collection.

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You can search and browse our collections online. We also have a section dedicated to the Newlyn School.

Knight, Laura

Throughout here life, Dame Laura Knight was popular with fellow artists and the public alike and she remains one of Britain’s favourite painters to this day. Her achievements included being the first woman ever elected as an RA and being selected as a War Artist, famously documenting the Nuremburg Trials.

Biography

Laura Knight – 1877 – 1970

Born in Derbyshire, Laura Johnson was encouraged to paint by her artistic mother and first went to study at Nottingham School of Art at the age of thirteen. It was here that she met her future husband, Harold Knight, with whom she spent time in Staithes (a small fishing village in Yorkshire), where they both found inspiration and in Holland, where they studied the Dutch masters.

In 1907, the Knights came to Cornwall, at first taking lodgings in Newlyn and later moving to Lamorna, where they became central figures in the growing artists colony. Laura specialised in combining landscapes and figures, painting nude models out of doors, caused some controversy among the local population, but her charming and lively personality overcame most resistance.

During the WW1, Harold Knight was a conscientious objector and was made to work on the land. Afterwards, in 1919, the couple decided to leave Cornwall, moving to London. Laura kept her Lamorna studio for some years and continued to return to Cornwall, where she felt she had spent her happiest times.

She was made a Dame in 1929 for her services to art and in 1936 became the first woman to be elected to the Royal Academy.

For further information, see http://www.damelauraknight.com/

Portfolio

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Visit Us

Penlee House is a beautiful art gallery and museum, set within sub-tropical gardens, with a great café.

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Exhibitions

Our vibrant exhibition programme celebrates the nationally important art and history of West Cornwall.

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Learning

From school visits to family activities, talks and walks, there are plenty of learning opportunities at Penlee House.

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Our Café

Enjoy a delicious lunch or coffee at the Orangery Café, with its sunny terrace overlooking the park.

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