RSA Scottish Art

Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until evening

Small web image of Man goeth forth to his work ...Artist: Robert McGregor
Title: Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until evening
Year: 1888
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions:
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Source: RSA Diploma Collection
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Description: Robert McGregor was probably influenced by French painters who painted scenes of everyday life - such as Jean Francois Millet and Bastien Lepage.Although the title of this painting, Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until evening, is taken from the Book of Common Prayer, the subject is simply the daily routine of farm workers. A man and woman make their way slowly to the fields on a winter morning and, dressed in their work clothes, they carry the necessary tools and a clay bottle. Although the painting is treated realistically the artist has edited the scene carefully to keep unnecessary detail to a minimum. The two people do not appear to be talking, and they seem either weary or preoccupied, as though they may be daydreaming about being somewhere else. The painting has been executed with delicate brush strokes and a restrained palette. The earthy tones of the landscape are virtually identical to the colours of the clothing. The subtly rendered sky shows a broad range of brighter shriller tones, but this is not a picture of a warm day – it is the harsh dawn of a winter day and the muted tones and milky light of the foreground imparts an icy chill to the scene. The background trees are very carefully handled, as are the downcast expressions of the two people.The mood here is stark but gently suggests a difficult existence in the midst of nature. Sunrise and sunset landscape scenes often show the natural environment in a very romantic way, sometimes even becoming sentimental. This painting shows a beautiful landscape, but it is a scene where we recognise the hardships of labouring on the land. Can you think of a context (a place or a scene) and a subject (a person or people) which describes an ideal view in the modern world but where the people do not have an ideal way of life?