Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this lovely landscape oil painting on canvas by the renowned Scottish Academician John Blake MacDonald. The signature appears to have worn over the years although we could faintly make out a possible J and a B in the lower left hand corner. However, it is in the original slip and frame and the slip bears the name John Blake MacDonald and the title 'On the Nith'. As the slip does not bear RSA after the name, this would date the painting to pre 1877.

The River Nith rises in East Ayshire and flows through Dumfries and Galloway to the Solway Firth. It is renowned for its fishing.

The painting depicts the River in its upper reaches, where it flows through verdant banks. There is a dark figure silhouetted on the right bank.

John Blake Macdonald was born in Boharm, Morayshire in 1829. On moving to Edinburgh to pursue an interest in art, he entered the Academy of the Board of Trustees in 1853 under Lauder. He then studied life at the School of the Royal Scottish Academy, where he won lst prize for painting from life.

He painted portraits, landscapes and scenes from Scottish History, particularly from the Jacobite period. In 1874 he visited Venice where he painted several watercolours which he exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy. After 1878, he gave up figure painting to concentrate on pure landscapes in oils and watercolours.

He was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1863 and a Full Member in 1877. He was also a Member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy 1866-1876 (6 works) and at the Royal Scottish Academy (76 works).

He died in Edinburgh on 20th December 1901.

His biographical details are listed in The Dictionary of Scottish Painters, The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists by H. Mallalieu, The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood and The Dictionary of British Artists (Collectors' Club).

Auction results achieved for works by this artist may be found at the usual sites and some of his oils can reach into the thousands of pounds e.g. Rob Roy McGregor which achieved £28,000.

There are eight of his paintings in the National Collection, details of which can be found at ArtUK.org.

The painting is framed in its original 5" gilt frame and slip and will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 24 1/2" x 17 1/2" - 62.2cm x 44.95cm

Frame size: 34 3/8" x 27 3/8" - 87.3cm x 69.5cm

Medium: Oils on relined canvas

Condition: Very good. The painting has been relined at some stage and is now in very good condition with only very faint craquelure and stretcher marks. The original frame is in very good condition for its age with no lossses.