Francis Mallett is the Chair of The Lenkiewicz Foundation, a registered educational charity which promotes the life, work and ideas of the late artist Robert Lenkiewicz (1941-2002). Arguably the painter's best-known public work was his vast 3000 square feet mural commissioned by Plymouth City Council in the early 1970s to mark the 350th anniversary of the departure of The Pilgrim Fathers from the Mayflower Steps, just a hundred yards away from the artist's studio on The Barbican and the location of the mural.
The mural's theme is Elizabethan culture 1580-1620 and it depicts many of the famous figures of the period from Francis Drake to John Dee (modelled by locals). Lenkiewicz meticulously researched it and in some ways the depiction is years ahead of its time. The mural has suffered badly from the elements over the years. However, to mark the 400th anniversary, The Foundation has republished this original notebook with a new introduction by cultural historian Dr John Callow from the University of East Anglia.
When you spend time looking at this mural, it contains a huge amount of detail, both in the people but also of Tudor history. It is truly an amazing artwork.
Francis has asked us to share photos of the mural as he wants more people to know about this fascinating historical project.
A physical guidebook is available (price £10) from the online store:
https://www.lenkiewiczarchive.co/products/the-barbican-mural-by-robert-lenkiewicz-1941-2002
You can download the information guide here:
NOTBM_TudorSocRes_2023
More information about the artist is here:
www.robertlenkiewicz.org
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