Inside The Historic Home Of Lee Miller

Lee Miller was almost always on the move. Born in upstate New York just after the dawn of the 20th century, she became well-known at just 19 years old when Condé Nast intervened to prevent her from stepping into the path of an oncoming vehicle in Manhattan. This unexpected event kickstarted her journey in front of the camera, leading to her appearance on the cover of Vogue, illustrated by the French artist Georges Lepape, in the spring of 1927.

Miller was the inspiration for the cover dated March 15, 1927.

After that, she kept pushing forward: she quickly moved to Paris, honing her photography skills with help from the surrealist Man Ray. Then she went back to New York to set up her own studio but left it behind in the 1930s to marry Egyptian businessman Aziz Eloui Bey and relocate to Cairo. Before long, she was in Europe again, where she met her second husband, the painter Roland Penrose, and successfully convinced her previous employers at British Vogue to make her their official war correspondent.

During this time, she captured extraordinary and vivid scenes—like a model standing amidst the wreckage of a bombed London, a British Vogue fashion editor wearing a gas mask in an air raid shelter, searchlight operators from the auxiliary territorial service relaxing before facing more enemy attacks, and the grim realities she encountered at the front lines. These images solidified her reputation as one of the leading chroniclers of wartime experiences, especially for highlighting the significant and often neglected contributions of women in the nation's defense.

Two women don protective masks as they sit in a bomb shelter in London.

Ladies from the auxiliary territorial army working with a searchlight unit.

While accompanying the American troops, she traveled to Normandy and witnessed key events such as the siege of St. Malo, the liberation of Paris, the Alsace battle, and the horrifying realities of the concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau. On the scene, she captured haunting images of floating bodies, massive explosions, starving survivors, nurses in despair over their patients, and civilians shaving the heads of those suspected of aiding the Nazis while onlookers expressed their anger. One of her most renowned self-portraits, taken with the help of David Sherman from Life magazine, shows her washing herself in the bathtub of Hitler's deserted apartment in Munich in 1945. Just a few hours after this photo was taken, Hitler and Eva Braun took their own lives about 300 miles away in Berlin.

The emotional wounds from the war stayed with Miller for her entire life, even as she tried to move forward. After returning to Britain, she and Penrose welcomed a son, Antony, and in 1949, they purchased Farleys, a farmhouse in East Sussex where she would live for the next thirty years until her passing in 1977. In this place, Miller found a sense of stability: she created a variety of unique recipes and organized splendid dinner gatherings for friends like Picasso, Joan Miró, Leonora Carrington, Dorothea Tanning, Henry Moore, and Max Ernst, using fresh ingredients from her own garden—the same spot where her ashes would eventually be scattered. This period of Miller's life is often overlooked amidst her many achievements, but it truly highlights her lasting creativity, ability to adapt, and incredible strength.

This residence, featuring its vividly colored brick walls, low wooden beams, stone floors, and a wealth of striking artwork, has been brought to life in Ellen Kuras’s film "Lee." This poignant portrayal of Miller's extraordinary life and career stars the remarkable Kate Winslet. The story takes us on a journey from her early days of a sun-soaked romance with Penrose to grim battlefields and decaying hideaways, ultimately arriving at Farleys. Here, Miller reflects on her tumultuous past with her son Antony (played by Josh O’Connor), presenting a compelling narrative of a woman who often eluded easy definition.

Lee Miller, captured in a photo from 1950.

Kate Winslet portrays Lee Miller in the film "Lee."

The blog section highlights how crucial her burial site is for preserving her memory. After her death, Antony’s wife Suzanna found more than 60,000 negatives and prints of Miller’s artwork in the attic of Farleys, along with journals, cameras, and personal items. She and Antony worked on organizing and editing this collection, leading to the creation of The Lee Miller Archives. Antony then used these resources to write a biography titled The Lives of Lee Miller, which served as the foundation for the film Lee.

Antony hopes that the powerful story will bring his groundbreaking mother to the attention of a new generation, encouraging them to explore her contributions more thoroughly. After enjoying both the film and the book, be sure to stop by Farleys, which is now an intriguing museum and gallery managed by Antony and his daughter, Ami Bouhassane. It's definitely worth a visit!

The outside of Farleys.

Just a short distance from the southern coast and the cherished Charleston of the Bloomsbury group, this ivy-covered cottage is brimming with historical charm and design ideas. The tour starts in the kitchen, a snug, softly lit space decorated in cream, where every visiting artist and writer was assigned the task of peeling potatoes and chopping carrots while Miller concocted her surreal and creative dishes, inspired by her travels. Dishes have included unique creations like pink cauliflower salad (made with tomato paste, eggs, and caviar), tomato soup cake (a sweet dessert featuring raisins and cream cheese frosting), and “Persian carpet” (a delightful treat of oranges and candied rose petals). If you’re tempted to try something, don’t forget to stop by the Farleys café on your way out for a piece of Lee’s famous onion upside-down cake, a savory delight made with red pimiento, fresh ginger, and parsley.

The artists who visited here also made their own artworks: lithographs by Picasso from his time at Farleys in 1950 are displayed behind the kitchen table, and a whimsical illustration from him can be seen on a set of tiles above the stove, added in the mid-1960s. Excitingly, this focus on detail carries over to the kitchen’s functionality as well: the cabinets feature stunning blue knobs, there are cleverly hidden spinning cabinets to optimize storage, and when you pull out the drawers, the dividers create striking, surreal angles, transforming a simple feature into an impressive conversation starter.

The bright and cheerful eating area at Farleys.

From this point, you'll enter the dining room, which truly stands out as the highlight of the home. It features terracotta tiles on the floor, cheerful yellow walls, and an impressive mural above the fireplace. Created by Roland in 1950, the mural illustrates a sun god, reminiscent of the cubist style of Georges Braque, and also references the enigmatic Long Man of Wilmington, the large carved figure visible from Farleys on a clear day. If you examine the rolling hills surrounding the central image closely, you'll notice that they reflect the view of the South Downs as seen from the house.

Enhancing the overall beauty of the room are various unique items, including ornamental porcelain swans, bull heads, and hand-painted dishes by Picasso. Charming in their purpose, these pieces, much like everything else in this home, are meant to be taken out and enjoyed rather than kept behind glass. They serve as focal points during Miller's lively gatherings.

The pink lounge at Farleys.

The living room and couch have been designed again for Lee, featuring Josh O’Connor in the role of Miller's son, Antony Penrose.

Next, you walk through a blue corridor filled with large statues from Gabon and Vanuatu, mixed media artworks by Man Ray, another sketch by Picasso from 1954, handmade Christmas cards by Dorothea Tanning, and a tiny sculpture of a weightlifter by Alexander Calder made from champagne wire. This leads you into the pink sitting room. On the walls, you can see Miller's Vogue cover along with some of her most famous photographs. However, the real highlights here are the items in the cabinet: one of her original Rolleiflex cameras, the typewriter she used to submit her stories from the front lines, a collection of flashbulbs, light meters, and film rolls, and two sets of brass knuckles that Miller carried for protection. She preferred brass during the day and silver in the evening, wearing them like accessories on a ribbon around her neck. It’s unclear whether they show signs of wear from traveling across Europe or from actual use. Antony isn’t quite sure.

Lee Miller’s vital items from the front lines, showcased in the pink living room.

The house tour wraps up in Miller's study, a soothing baby blue space filled with books, a beautifully intricate rocking chair, and a large trunk labeled "Elizabeth Miller." Inside the trunk are mementos from Lee’s childhood, including locks of hair, dolls, and small baby shoes, which offer a glimpse into the creative and spirited young girl she once was before she became a renowned writer.

The surprises don’t stop there: as you walk through the grounds, passing by the surreal sculptures created by artists like William Turnbull and Michael Werner, you'll arrive at the expansive barn that houses Farleys’ gallery. Until the end of October, this venue will feature a new exhibition celebrating the release of Lee’s film. This display includes Miller's weathered army jeep from the movie, as well as her stunning photographs from the 1940s shown alongside pictures taken by Winslet using her Rolleiflex during filming. One of Miller's photos of artillery spotters in St Malo is displayed next to Winslet’s evocative take on the same scene in Lee. There's also a precise recreation of an original photo showcasing white linens drying under the sun, and striking portraits of Winslet’s co-star Andy Samberg, who plays David Sherman, reflect Miller’s own imagery of him. The experience is enchanting – in fact, due to the film's incredible attention to detail, it can be hard to distinguish between the original images and their reproductions.

It's true that Lee will be quite enjoyable for those unfamiliar with Miller, but if you visit Farleys and dive into her universe while spotting the many hidden references in the film, you'll definitely gain a deeper appreciation for it. So, take some time this autumn to make the journey – and when next summer comes, don't forget to reserve a place at the annual surrealist picnic held at the house. This event offers a delightful afternoon of live jazz and creative cuisine, with attendees donning wonderfully eccentric costumes. This year's picnic showcased outfits inspired by Dalí's surreal egg imagery and faces covered with green apples, reminiscent of Magritte's "The Son of Man." Miller would have certainly been a fan.

"Lee" will be showing in theaters starting September 13. Farleys Gallery will be open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays until October 31, 2024, and will resume operations in the spring of 2025. The Lee & Lee exhibition at Farleys Gallery will be on display until October 31.