He settled in Falmouth in 1881 and produced the majority of his best works here. He is FalmouthÂ’s first Royal Academician. The painting shows St AnthonyÂ’s lighthouse at the mouth of the Fal, with its distinctive octagonal tower. HemyÂ’s floating studio enabled him to paint plein-air, capturing with vitality a social record of a vanished industry. This Royal Academy-style finished painting complements the studies acquired earlier by Falmouth Art Gallery.

Provenance

Private collection from 1890; Lanes, Penzance, 2003; private collection; Bonhams.