Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this finely detailed watercolour by the celebrated Scottish artist John Thomas Hamilton Macallum, who has signed the painting in the lower left hand corner. The painting depicts a sunset seascape, probably off the Western Coast of Scotland, a favourite subject for the artist. There is a rocky coast to the right of the painting, with a light or bell buoy on the rocks visible to the left. The sun is just about to set and there is a ship on the horizon.

John Thomas Hamilton Macallum was born on the 22nd May 1841 at Kames in Argyllshire. He was the second son of John Macallum JP of the Kames Gunpowder works. Under pressure from his father to entertain a commerical career in the Indian service, he entered a merchant's office in Glasgow, but in 1864 he entered the RA Schools in London. He had studios in Hampstead, then Piccadilly, then Beer in Devon.

He painted in the Western Scottish Highlands, often from a small yacht, the south coast of Devon, Heligoland, the Netherlands and Italy. He painted in both oils and watercolours.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1876 to 1896 (21 works), as well as in other London exhibitions, a total of 123 up to 1893 according to Graves Dictionary. As well as these exhibitions, he also showed in the provinces.

He was elected a Full Member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours in 1882, a Full Member of the Royal Oil Painters Institute in 1883 and was also a Member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours.

He died suddenly from Heart Disease at Beer on 23rd June 1896 and was painting and exhibiting up to that time.

His biographical details are available on wikipedia, The Dictionary of British Artists (Collectors' Club) and the Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood. A lengthy discourse on his work appeared in The Art Journal 1875-1887, available on the web.

Auction results for works by this artist may be found at the usual sites, but both his oils and his watercolours command high prices. The record in recent years for a watercolour is £1,995 in Dublin.

The painting has been newly double mounted in acid free mountboard and is newly framed in a dull silver frame which suits it very well. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Medium Watercolours on paper