When thinking of world-renowned artists, you would be forgiven for not instantly summoning a Scottish name to your mind. However, Scotland’s artists are not only present but prevalent, with several key names joining together into a revered quartet. I went to experience the Scottish Colourists’ works first hand at Graves Gallery.
Colour and Light: Scottish Colourists from the Fleming Collection is a temporary exhibit featuring the works of the Scottish Colourists – S.J. Peploe, J.D. Fergusson, Leslie Hunter and F.C.B. Cadell – a widely revered artistic quartet from the 20th century. Drawing inspiration from Post-Impressionist artists, this exhibit traces the development of their work throughout their careers from their humble beginnings to developed later pieces.
I’m not entirely sure why, but this exhibition didn’t hit the mark for me. Whilst the paintings were respectable, there were very few that particularly caught my eye. I wasn’t captivated by the work on show and sadly this collection was much less impressive than other ones I’ve recently seen at Graves Gallery. Despite this, my two favourite pieces were ‘Green Sea Iona’ by Peploe and ‘Loch Lomond’ by Hunter. They are both beautiful works of exquisite detail, capturing the beauty of a flawless icescape and forested lake bank, respectively. These pieces were truly stunning and it’s worth visiting simply for these.
Unfortunately, Colour and Light: Scottish Colourists from the Fleming Collection did not capture my imagination in the same way that other exhibits I have experienced have. Nevertheless, the collection does have some fantastic jewels within its range, and I would recommend going for those alone, even though the rest of the collection wasn’t to my tastes.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Colour and Light: Scottish Colourists from the Fleming Collection is on display in Graves Gallery until December 9th
