Remembering Lee Miller

My daughter, Jen, and I took a trip to Farleys the former home of the American model and war photographer, Lee Miller today. It was originally booked for yesterday but they very kindly allowed me to change the booking because of yesterday's funeral. The house is in Muddles Green near the Sussex village of Chiddingly  which is on the edge of the Downs and roughly equidistant between Lewes and Eastbourne. It must have been a very peaceful retreat for Lee Miller who we were told suffered badly with what would now be described as PTSD following in light of the horrors she had seen when embedded with the US Army liberating Europe from August 1944 onwards. On top of this she suffered post-natald epression following the birth of her son, Antony, in 1947. Eventually she found solace in cookery and an onion tart from one of her recipes was on sale in the cafe at the house. 

The house is full of amazing art including several pieces by her great friend Picasso who was a regular visitor to Farley's. There are a number of paintings also by her husband, the English artist and curator, Roland Penrose, who was instrumental in bringing surrealist art to the UK. The one hour guided tour of the house was very informative and we were struck by how accurate the recent film , 'Lee', starring Kate Winslet was of her life - both  in the hedonist years leading up to the Second World War and her role in the war itself. There was a poignant exhibition of her and others' photographs from what the gallery referred to as the 'summer of love' in 1937 contrasting with the images she took during the war.

The house has a lovely garden that is dotted with sculptures. One of these - The Fallen Giant - is shown in one of the extras. It also adjoins a working farm and the other extra shows a combine harvester hard at work on what was another sweltering day.  The House, Garden and Gallery at Farleys is open every Thursday, Friday and Sunday from April to October - well worth a visit.