In the Frame for October 2010: Margery Penfold’s ‘Despair II’

This month the Archives & Museum's Collections Administrator, despite protesting "I am not much of an art critic or one for waxing lyrical", has chosen Margery Penfold's "Despair II", painted in April 1936. He writes:

"The picture is painted using watercolours on paper, and depicts an avenue of black leafless trees which form a tunnel, and it appears to lead the viewer into an ever darkening space. The artist has inscribed the painting with its title "DESPAIR" in large red capital letters in the bottom left corner of the picture.

To me the artist has perfectly illustrated the picture's title, the emotion of despair. I can easily believe anyone, as I do, can relate to this picture, especially those who have experienced and journeyed through a particularly desperate time in their life, regardless of whether or not they suffer from mental illness."