Lot 106
JOSEPH FARQUHARSON R.A. (SCOTTISH 1846-1935)
THE FERRY ON THE LOCH
Scottish Paintings & Sculpture
Auction: Evening Sale ft. A Century of Scottish Colourists Part II | Lots 90 to 169 | Thursday 03 December 2026 from 6pm
Description
Signed, oil on canvas
Dimensions
101.5cm x 152.5cm (40in x 60in)
Provenance
Duncan Miller Fine Arts, London where acquired by the present owner
Exhibited: Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1907, no. 2
Literature: William Macdonald Sinclair, Joseph Farquharson A.R.A., London, 1912
The Art Journal, 1912, p.28, repr. p. 22
Footnote
The Ferry on the Loch by Joseph Farquharson (1846–1935) is a striking example of the artist working on a monumental scale. Best known for his wintry landscapes, often depicting hardy shepherds and their flocks crossing snow-covered fields in the harshest of conditions, Farquharson here instead demonstrates his versatility as an artist. By rejecting his popular snow scenes in favour of a traditional wooden ferry boat transporting a flock of sheep across a quiet Scottish loch, he is still able to showcase his skilful treatment of light.
Here Farquharson uses his characteristic low-sun geometry to explore the delicate relationships between light, atmosphere and water in the Scottish Highlands. The sun casts bright, shimmering reflections across the expansive loch, demonstrating his ability to capture how light is never still, instead, shifting and varying with every passing second. The shepherds aboard the boat and standing on the dock are beautifully silhouetted against the luminous landscape, while the warm radiance of the sun seems to emanate from the canvas itself. This work highlights how Farquharson could easily turn his brush to other subjects and still excel.
This painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy’s annual exhibition in London in 1907, where it attracted considerable interest. Its subsequent popularity and commercial success are further reflected in its reproduction as an etching by the Fine Art Society.
