Behind the scenes of surrealism

Roland Penrose founded the ICA, championed and collected surrealist art and even took a small part in Luis Bunuel?s L?Age D?Or. He was also the husband of model turned muse turned photographer Lee Miller.

As an artist, Penrose fell into the competent, if not exactly inspiring, school of painting, his eye for the talent of others ? Dali, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Picasso ? superseding his own efforts. But that same eye peering down the lens of a camera captured beautifully the louche decadence of the between-the-wars intelligentsia: that sun-sodden, booze-fuelled, sexual free-for-all.

These rarely exhibited pictures taken behind the scenes with the Surrealists are, naturally enough, the main attraction here: the muses ? Miller, Ady Fidelin (Man Ray?s Filipino lover), Nusch Eluard (poet Edward Eluard?s spouse) ? and their men hanging out in scenes of absolute decadence. The celebrated Picnic, South Of France, 1937, is a near perfect encapsulation of the spirit and the time: the insouciance of the bare-breasted women; the scowl of Man Ray as he stares down the lens challenging the viewer to judge them.

It must have been an amazing period ? Penrose?s son and biographer suggests the late 1930s were the best years of his father?s life ? one of those inspired, serendipitous collisions of time, space and people. This is valuable memorabilia.

Until Oct 12, Zelda Cheatle Gallery, 99 Mount Street W1, Tue to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 11am to 4pm, Mon by appointment, free.