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Agnes and William Bourn purchased Muckross Estate as a wedding gift to their daughter, Maud. To prepare to paint the murals in the Ballroom, artist and friend of the Bourns, Ernest Peixotto traveled to Ireland to sketch the grounds. Label
After purchasing the Muckross Estate as a wedding present for their daughter, Agnes and William Bourn sought to bring Ireland to Filoli. They commissioned their friend, Ernest Peixotto, to paint murals for their new ballroom. Ernest traveled to Muckross in 1924 and made small preliminary studies before painting the final murals, with this being one of the two studies in the collection.
A small figure of Arthur Rose Vincent, the Bourn’s son-in-law, fishing on the lake can be seen. One of his legs was shorter than the other, so he often stood with one leg bent. In the distance, the Muckross House is visible.
“...you are coming in July as I regard it as the ugliest month of the year here. Everything being almost too green. I wish you could have been here this past fortnight when the rhododendron was a blaze of colours. It really has been very lovely.”
- Letter from Arthur Vincent to Ernest Peixotto, at Muckross House, June 16, 1924
