Studio RT Ltd

Description

This is the last in the small collection of works by Peter Barton that we have acquired and this oil on board represents a view of Maol Cheann-dearg and Ruadh-stac from Srath a'Bhathaich. It has been signed by the artist, dated '90 and he has also signed, dated it '89/90and given the location on the back of the board. We are also including with this painting, a hardback book with his biography and plates of some of the artist's work.

Maol Cheann-dearg is a Scottish Mountain situated between Upper Loch Torridon and Loch Carron, in the Coulags deer forest in Wester Ross, Highland region. It is one of three Munros in this area (the others being Sgorr Ruadh and Beinn Liath Mhor and reaches a height of 933 metres (3,060 feet), it is slightly isolated from the other two being separated by a low col of 420 metres and therefore tends to be ascended separately. The mountain is typical of the region in that geologically it is made up of a mixture of sandstone and quartzite, it has a steep flanks and is rock-strewn. The dome shaped summit is littered with red sandstone boulders and lacking in vegetation making its translated name of “Bald Red Head” especially appropriate. The mountain is not to be confused with Maol Chinn-dearg, another Munro on the south Glen Shiel ridge.
Peter Barton was born in London in 1921. He was always interested in painting and was encouraged by his art master Wilfred Blunt. He was called up in WWII and served in the UK, Nigeria and Burma. Returning to the UK in 1946, he met and married Rosemary Bayly and they had 3 children.

He obtained admission to the London Medical School, where he achieved degrees in Medicine & Dentistry, further specialising in Oral & Maxillo-Facial surgery. He was appointed a consultant in Oxford. In his spare time he became a part time student at the John Cass School of Art.

During his time as a consultant, he continued to paint and had occasional exhibitions, but, at the age of 62, he resigned from surgery to become a full time painter. He bought a cottage in the Scottish Highlands at Shieldaig in the Torridon area and set up a studio there. He began clinmbing and exploring the local mountains and experimented until he found a unique style with which to represent their rugged majesty. This painting has been executed in this style. He also painted the cottages and villages of the Highlands more traditionally.

Although using watercolours and pastels for sketching, his preferred medium was thin oil on the white surface of an industrial laminate, as this painting is.

As well as being a prolific painter, he wrote a guide for tourists on hill-walking in the area, published in 1889 and reprinted several times. He held numerous exhibitions in Scotland and England and lived and painted in Shieldaig for 18 years from 1983-2001, remaining fit enough to climb the local mountains until he was 78. In 2001 he returned to Oxford where he continued to paint for some years. He sadly died in 2010.

There are 5 of his paintings in the National Collection, which can be viewed at Artuk.org. A few auction results of his work may be found at the usual sites.

The painting has been newly framed in a 2 1/4" cream reeded frame, which suits is very well. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 23 1/4" x 15 1/2" - 59cm x 39.35cm

Frame size: 27 7/8" x 20 1/4" - 70.8cm x 51.45cm

Medium: Oils on Board

Condition: Very good. The frame is new. The book has a small amount of damage to the top of two of the pages, which does not affect the plates, due to a printing fault.