National Galleries of Scotland: Three Lavery Works

These three paintings by Sir John Lavery, the Irish Impressionist and Glasgow Boy who’s currently the subject of a major exhibition in National Galleries Scotland: National, are all part of Scotland’s national collection of art. These historic acquisitions – the first added to the collection as far back as 1950 – will continue to be free to access for the people of Scotland in the future. Lavery on Location takes us on a trip through the life of the artist, with over 90 paintings currently on display in the gallery on the Mound.

Loch Katrine

Ever since the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s poem The Lady of the Lake (1810), Loch Katrine had become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Trossachs. By 1913, visitors could get there by car, bus or rail. They could walk on specially created footpaths around the loch, enjoy scenic viewpoints or take a trip on the SS Sir Walter Scott.

Given Lavery’s membership of the Glasgow Boys – a group who rallied against what they saw as the overproduction of romanticised views of the Highlands in Scottish art – he creates a fresh interpretation of this familiar scene. Using pastel tones and broad sweeping brushstrokes, he emphasises the tranquillity of the natural landscape. There is no hint of the crowds of visitors. The stillness of the water is only disturbed by a single swooping bird. The woman sketching on the shore is most likely Hazel, his wife, who was herself a talented artist. The couple appear to have the place to themselves.

This impressionistic depiction of Loch Katrine was so different to other paintings of the area that when it was shown during a solo show in 1914, one of Lavery’s critics lamented that he had yet to tackle a piece of Highland scenery.

Edward Arthur Walton, 1860-1922. Artist. With his fiancée Helen Law, 1859-1945 (Hokusai and the Butterfly)

This work was painted on the occasion of a Grand Costume Ball organised by the Glasgow Art Club in 1889. Lavery was dressed as Rembrandt and made quick oil sketches of the invited guests. In this painting, he depicts his friend and fellow artist EA Walton with his fiancée Helen Law. He presented it to them to celebrate their engagement.

Walton is dressed as the Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai while Law’s costume references the butterfly monogram of artist James McNeill Whistler. Hokusai and Whistler were artistic heroes of the Glasgow Boys group of artists, who were really at the height of their influence on the city’s art scene at this time. They had risen through the ranks of the Glasgow Art Club, getting involved with exhibitions and social events that it staged.

When the Glasgow Boys showed their work in London, it brought the city and its art scene to international attention. It led to invites to exhibit in Europe and America. This afforded Lavery opportunities to travel more broadly and was springboard into his career as a society portrait painter with an international profile.

The Dutch Cocoa House at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1888

The Glasgow International Exhibition of 1888 was a showcase of art and industry staged over a sprawling site in the city’s West End. Over the five months the exhibition welcomed over 5.7 million visitors.

In this painting, Lavery depicts the interior of the faithfully recreated a 17th-century Dutch cocoa house built by the cocoa manufacturers Van Houten and Son, of Weesp. It was located close to the Exhibition’s grand entrance and was one of several cafes and kiosks where visitors could enjoy a range of food and beverages from around the world.

Lavery, like many of his Glasgow Boys friends, submitted paintings to be shown in the Fine Art Pavilion of the Exhibition. They also got involved with some of the decoration of the Exhibition buildings.

However, Lavery was keen to take advantage of the unprecedented scale of this Exhibition to promote his art – he decided to appoint himself as an unofficial artist-reporter. In this role, he made a series of 50 on-the-spot paintings of the exhibitors and crowds enjoying the attractions. These were shown locally during the course of the Exhibition. They sold well, and earned him a commission from the Glasgow Council to paint the State Visit of Queen Victoria.

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You can enjoy these three paintings in the exhibition An Irish Impressionist | Lavery on Location, on until 27 October at the National Galleries Scotland: National
Open daily 10am-5pm, £5-19
To find out more visit www.nationalgalleries.org

CREDITS:
Loch Katrine, 1913. Presented by Mrs Annie Dunlop from the estate of George B Dunlop 1951
Edward Arthur Walton, 1860 - 1922. Artist. With his fiancée Helen Law, 1859 – 1945 (Hokusai and the Butterfly), Purchased 1980.
The Dutch Cocoa House at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1888, Purchased with the aid of the Barrogill Keith Bequest Fund 1985.