Page 45 - cn-The Art of Style Status STUDIO pres April 2024

Sited on its own peninsular, Trellisick has had five previous owners. It has been revised, experienced
prosperity, collapse and change. Donated to the National Trust by Ida Copeland in 1955 after the death of
her son Geoffrey.
A house has been here since 1750, when a two- storey villa was built by John Lawrence. In 1805, the
estate was purchased by Ralph Allen Daniell, who enlarged the park and added a new pleasure grounds
and kitchen garden. In 1825, Ralph’s son remodelled the house in a Grecian style. Due to the building
costs and the prevalent slump in mining of 1832 he was bankrupted and sold the Trelissick estate to Lord
Falmouth. The Gilberts were next to own Trelissick when in 1844 John Davies Gilbert purchased the
estate. Trelissick’s House and garden became the property of Leonard Cunliffe (a banker), in 1928 when
he bought the freehold and the estate had been divided in 1913. In 1937, Cunliffe’s step daughter Ida
Copeland inherited Trelissick, Ida and her husband Ronald transformed the garden and continued to
evolve the planting throughout their time at Trelissick.

Whilst sketching within the house, I was taken by the Music Room interior, especially the positioning of
the piano and its relation to the window that provided views out across the parkland to the sea beyond.
At the time, one of the room guides was playing Shubert, which created a timeless ambiance.
Two sisters were listening to the music, and one of them was particularly interested in playing.
The pianist invited her to take over and try the piece for herself. Whilst she was playing, and with their
permission, I sketched the two young women. The composition explores the notion of being lost in the
music. Firstly; the sister playing and absorbed in concentration, and the other who is listening whilst
gazing out to the scene beyond. The music connects the inner space of the room, the experience of the
notes being played and the expanse of the outer world beyond. The painting evokes the sense of time
past, when such activities were common place by the various past owners of Trelissick.

FG 139395 The Music Room

inches o/c
Trelissick, Cornwall.NT