Wallis Wreck of the Alba | Custom Prints | Tate Shop

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Alfred Wallis

Wreck of the Alba, 1938-9

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About the artwork

In this dramatic painting Alfred Wallis depicted a ship floundering in turbulent seas at Porthmeor Beach, St Ives. Unlike many of his other paintings, which tell of what used to be, the ‘Wreck of the Alba’ is almost certainly something that Wallis witnessed himself. The disaster occurred in the January of 1938, when the 3,700-ton steamer ran aground in stormy weather. Thanks to the help of local St Ives people all but 5 men involved in the wreck survived.

Wallis worked on the painting at his cottage, with the panel propped on a table he chose his colours from pre-mixed household or ship’s paints, avoiding artists’ oils which he deemed not ‘real paint’ but ‘muck’.

Abstract Art

Artist Alfred Wallis
Artwork Wreck of the Alba
Image size 377 x 683 mm
Material Oil paint on wood
Date of work 1938-9
Credit Presented by the Tate Friends St Ives 1994

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Alfred Wallis (1855–1942) was a British fisherman, scrap merchant and painter, best known for his seascapes and ship paintings. Claiming to have gone to sea at the age of nine, Wallis was involved in deep-sea fishing and had sailed as far as Newfoundland, Canada. In 1890 he moved to St Ives where he became a marine scrap merchant. He began painting late in life after his wife's death, and was self taught, using household paint and materials such as cardboard scraps. Although admired and promoted by St Ives artists Ben Nicholson and Christoper Wood for his naive style, he achieved little commercial success in his lifetime. He is buried in Barnoon cemetery, overlooking Tate St Ives, with a decorative gravestone made from tiles by Bernard Leech, depicting a sailor at the foot of a lighthouse.

DELIVERIES AND RETURNS

Delivery times

We aim to deliver custom prints within 2-4 weeks. As each print is handmade to order they take a little longer to prepare. We’ll dispatch your order as soon as it is ready, separately from any other items.

We currently offer free standard delivery on all UK orders over £60. Here’s more information on delivery.

Refunds and returns

As custom prints are made to order, unfortunately we cannot accept returns if you have changed your mind or made a mistake. If we have made a mistake, or there is a problem with your order, then please contact our customer service team at shop@tate.org.uk.

Here’s more information on refunds & returns.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When will my order be delivered?

We aim to deliver your made-to-order custom print within 1-2 weeks for UK orders, and within 2-4 weeks for international delivery. You can see an estimated delivery date on the product page, on the green banner above the size and frame options.

Our custom prints are produced and shipped directly from our print workshop and arrive separately to all other items. You can learn more about delivery here.

I've made a mistake, can I amend my order?

The best thing to do is email us as soon as possible at shop@tate.org.uk or call us on +44 (0)207 887 8888 with your order number, ideally within 24 hours. Please note that as custom prints are made to order, if production has already started, we won’t be able to make any amendments to the print itself, but we can change your delivery name and address if the order has not been dispatched yet.

I've changed my mind, can I cancel my order?

As custom prints are made to order, unfortunately you can’t cancel your order after production has started (typically within 24 hours). If you get in touch with us within 24 hours, our team will check on the status of your order and do whatever they can to help you out.

Can I return my print?

Because our prints and frames are made to order, custom prints can only be returned if they’re faulty or we’ve made a mistake. If this is the case, please contact us straight away with details and images of the problem, so we can arrange for a refund or replacement for you. You can find further information regarding refunds and returns here.

About Our Prints

Our custom prints are high-quality, made-to-order fine art print reproductions of Tate collection and exhibition artworks. Available in a choice of sizes and hand-made frames, they’re created using state of the art technology and sustainably sourced materials by our Sussex-based print specialists.