RSA Scottish Art
Sunset, Humbie
 | Artist: William MacTaggart |
| Title: Sunset, Humbie | |
| Year: c. 1957 | |
| Medium: pastel & ink on paper | |
| Dimensions: | |
| Suggested topic: | |
| Source: RSA | |
| View full screen image of this work | |
| Open print version of this work | |
| © the artist’s family | |
| Description: William MacTaggart was influenced by the work of European painters such as Rouault and the Expressionists, and specialised in landscape and flower painting. He lived and worked in Edinburgh for most of his life and, like William Gillies, shared a closeness to the landscape of his upbringing. MacTaggart developed a rich and intense use of colour and paint, often on quite a small scale. Sunset, Humbie is an interpretation of the Midlothian countryside, not far from the artist's birthplace. Using bold brushstrokes, reminiscent of the style of Georges Rouault, the artist describes the outlines of the trees, houses and sky. The dense surface of the painting reflects the fertility of the land. The restricted palette reflects the pale orange light of late evening when colours are fading from the landscape. The strong black outlines used here are rhythmic and energetic. This simple composition featuring two trees, some hills, the sun and a house is nevertheless an intricate expression of the land. The lines weave and dance, their rough edges adding speed and vibrancy to the scene. This quickly executed sketch is dominated by the dark area around the buildings at the centre of the composition. The sky is scrubbed with orange, suggesting tinges of light on clouds. The mood of this picture is at the same time vibrant and sombre. MacTaggart's style has given the scene a powerful energy, yet the palette and the subject matter suggest a more reflective mood. Can you imagine how the painting would have looked if he had approached the same scene at midday or early morning? | |
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