J D Fergusson (1874-1961)

As part of their Scottish Colourist series The National Galleries of Modern Art, Edinburgh, have a J D Fergusson exhibition running until June 15th. As the artist spent a great deal of his later life in Glasgow (Clouston Street) I felt it appropriate to appreciate his work. I put together a little exhibition in Lyon and Turnbull's Glasgow office and Gallery on Bath Street. I borrowed fifteen works from private lenders and created a wonderful show for the month of February. I had examples of landscapes, female portraiture, conte drawings, sculpture and watercolour.

Here is a press cutting from the exhibition. It is myself pictured with 'Eastre, Hymm to the sun' (1924). This is probably one of J D Fergussons most iconic works. It's made of polished brass and was modelled in 1924. The actual casting didn't take place for a few years due to expense but since the original it has been recast in 1972 and 1991 and was used as a catalyst for fundraising for the Fergusson Gallery in Perth. 

One of the stars of the show was the small 6"x9" 'Pont Des Arts, 1910' Paris scene. These little J D Fergusson works are often much more desired than his later stylised female forms. These were painted early on in his career when he was living quite a bohemian lifestyle in the Paris cafe scene. He would sketch at the lunch table and then take a board outside and produce wonderful oil paintings 'en plein air'

Laterally J D Fergusson was best known for his stylised depiction of ladies, generally their head and shoulders, illustrated below in 'Blonde in the South'. His inspiration was  taken from his long periods of time spent in the South of France, predominantly Antibes. The face of the girl is quite simple and very flat on the canvas, her eyes have little definition but overall the image is very effective. As you move further down the female form she blends into the foliage around her and one is not too sure whether she is wearing a dress? 

I very much enjoyed curating this little exhibition and I hope the 250 that viewed it did too! I'm already working towards my next exhibition which will be 'Mackintosh and The Glasgow School'. If you haven't already been through to the Edinburgh J D Fergusson show it is well worth a trip!

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/the-scottish-colourists-series-jd-fergusson