RSA Scottish Art
Canongate Church
 | Artist: John Guthrie Spence Smith |
| Title: Canongate Church | |
| Year: c. 1939 | |
| Medium: oil on board | |
| Dimensions: | |
| Suggested topic: | |
| Source: RSA Diploma Collection | |
| View full screen image of this work | |
| Open print version of this work | |
| © Perth Museum & Art Gallery | |
| Description: John Guthrie Spence Smith focused his work on Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Perthshire.His paintings were largely landscapes and studies of historic buildings, both humble and grand. Canongate Kirk, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, is a straightforward representation of a historic landmark in a part of the city that was undergoing change and redevelopment. Here the artist has been attracted by the bold, decorative forms of the building which are well-suited to his chunky painting style with its concentration on flat areas of colour and clear outlines. This painting has been executed with bold, squarish brush strokes, which perfectly mirror the stone blocks from which the building is made. The palette is mostly blues, greys and pinks, also echoing the granite stonework. The tonal range is made more dramatic by the bright sunshine allowing the artist to represent strong reflected light on the surface of the building and deep shadows off to the side, but overall the scene is painted in pale, almost chalky tones. By creating tiny gaps between brush strokes, Smith has allowed some of the canvas to show through. This skilfully adds to the solid appearance of the building's frontage and enhances the unadorned face of the church.The mood here is of a quiet street on a sunny afternoon, with people peacefully going about their business. Churches often possess a restful quality. But it is not just the image of the building which lends the painting this sense. The small figure of the woman walking past the gate embodies a peaceful feeling. Would the scene have the same mood if this figure was not there or conversely if the painter had shown dozens of people streaming into the doorway or rushing past the gate? | |
Find us on