RSA Scottish Art
Breton Peasant
 | Artist: David Macbeth Sutherland |
| Title: Breton Peasant | |
| Year: c. 1923 | |
| Medium: oil on canvas | |
| Dimensions: | |
| Suggested topic: | |
| Source: RSA Diploma Collection | |
| View full screen image of this work | |
| Open print version of this work | |
| © Dr D A Sutherland & Lady J E Sutherland | |
| Description: David Macbeth Sutherland belonged to a group of Edinburgh artists who were exposed to the work of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists in their early years. This influence affected his work for the rest of his life. Although best remembered for his landscape painting, Breton Peasant demonstrates that D M Sutherland was a fine figurative painter as well. Before 1914 and again in the 1920s, the artist travelled to Europe and especially Brittany. In the windswept landscapes and in the tight-knit fishing communities he found an affinity with his own northern background. Using bold brush strokes and stark colour, he has concentrated on the woman's weather-beaten skin, her strong hands and traditional costume. From looking at this portrait, what kind of person do you think this woman would have been? The execution of this painting displays a robust approach to colour and tone, as the colours used are quite intense and are strongly contrasting. The heavy brush strokes used on the dress contrast with the fine details etched into the face. The strong brush work is appropriate to the sitter herself - she looks strong and muscular even though she is not so young. The black shape of the woman's dress and hat frame her face and arms, drawing our eye to them and emphasising how tanned her skin is. Her arms are almost as dark as the dress itself.The woman looks thoughtful, and her dark clothes and the stark background reinforce this reflective mood. This painting is a glimpse into someone's life. Her days would be spent working - carrying out routine tasks with not much room for luxuries. It would feel strange to her that she spend time sitting posing for an artist. It gives her time to think – could she have led a different kind of life? In spite of the sombre subject and heavy palette, there is quite a bright feeling to this painting. Bright sunlight seems to be flooding the scene, which adds to the curious feeling of being close to the subject. | |
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