Land of Inspiration

One of the great inspirations for Scottish artists is their local landscape, with many living within, or travelling to explore, a range of visually arresting environments, from rugged Highland hills and lochs, to picturesque beaches and charming fishing villages. This visual interest is often only increased by the notoriously changeable weather, and the effect this has on the light and mood of different environments.

In the Scottish Paintings & Sculpture auction on 07 December, scenes of Scottish harbours are well represented, drawing attention to these as a rich source of artistic inspiration. There is much for an artist to capture in these locales where small spots of civilisation meet the vast wilderness of the sea; man and nature are attempting to peacefully co-habit, and thus the sea’s innate power, light and reflective qualities meets man-made structures in the form of harbour walls, boats and houses. For the painter, there is light, structure, pattern and contrast, a perfect storm of subject matter for experimentation.

Lot 101 | [§] SIR WILLIAM GEORGE GILLIES C.B.E., R.A., R.S.A., R.S.W., L.L.D. (SCOTTISH 1898-1973)
THE HARBOUR QUAY, ANSTRUTHER | Signed, oil on canvas | Estimate £4,000-6,000 + fees

Lot 65 | [§] WILLIAM GRANT MURRAY A.R.C.A. (SCOTTISH 1877-1950)
THE OLD PIER, ST. ANDREWS | Signed with a monogram, oil on canvas | Estimate £600-900 + fees

Lot 69 | GEORGE LESLIE HUNTER (SCOTTISH 1877-1931)
HARBOUR SCENE | Signed and dated 1918, pen and ink and watercolour | Estimate £3,000-5,000 + fees

Lot 106 | [§] SIR WILLIAM GEORGE GILLIES C.B.E., R.A., R.S.A., R.S.W., L.L.D. (SCOTTISH 1898-1973)
HARBOUR SCENE | Oil on board, and painted verso with signed wooded landscape | Estimate £4,000-6,000 + fees

Dates for Your Diary

Scottish Paintings & Sculpture Auction
07 December 2017 | 6pm
Edinburgh

Viewing from Sunday 03 December at 12noon