F.C.B. Cadell
Portrait of a Lady in Blackabout 1921On Display | GALLERY OF MODERN ART
The sitter in this painting is Bertha Hamilton Don-Wauchope (1864 - 1944), an Edinburgh model who posed regularly for Cadell from about 1911 to 1926. The distinctive mauve-coloured walls indicate that the portrait was painted in the artist's studio in Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, where the artist lived from 1920. After the First World War, Cadell abandoned his feathery impressionistic manner for this style, using bold colours and scarcely-visible brushstrokes. Cadell often included the names of colours in the titles of his paintings. This practice had been made popular by Whistler and became fashionable during the Edwardian period.
Glossary [1] Show
Impressionism
An influential style of painting that originated in France in the 1870s with artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-August Renoir and Alfred Sisley. They were interested in capturing the changing effects of light, frequently exploring this through landscape scenes painted in the open air.
- Accession no. GMA 3350
- Medium Oil on canvas
- Size 76.30 x 63.50 cm (framed: 97.00 x 84.50 x 9.00 cm)
- Credit Bequeathed by Mr and Mrs G.D. Robinson through The Art Fund 1988
F.C.B. Cadell (Scottish, 1883 - 1937)
Cadell studied in Paris and lived in Munich before settling in his native Edinburgh around 1909. Cadell's pre-war work is influenced by the Impressionists. From around 1920, his work became brighter and bolder. Shadows were suppressed to such an extent that the paintings of this period are comprised of areas of flat colour. Cadell made regular trips to France and Iona with fellow Scottish Colourist S. J. Peploe. Both artists were influenced by the effects of strong sunlight, which led them to use areas of bright colour in their paintings.
Glossary [2] Show
Impressionism
An influential style of painting that originated in France in the 1870s with artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-August Renoir and Alfred Sisley. They were interested in capturing the changing effects of light, frequently exploring this through landscape scenes painted in the open air.
Scottish Colourists
A group of Scottish painters comprising S.J. Peploe, F.C.B. Cadell, Leslie Hunter and J.D. Fergusson who were active in the early 20th century. They all spent time in France and were influenced by French artists' bold use of colour and free brushwork.