Alexander Roche, R.S.A.
of the North, it is in Glasgow that you shall find, of which he has remained until his recent move to
working with many aims in common, a band of men Edinburgh, where he is now settled. The rest of
whose pictures are sought after by foreign States his career has been an eager striving to express in
for the enrichment of their permanent collections. terms of colour the music that is in him.
And of all the younger men of genius who have Alexander Roche, then, is bred of the rbmantic
brought distinction to this great city there is none blood of the Borders, with eyes of the dainty vision
in the realm of colour more gifted than Alexander of France, eyes that see beauty in what the rest of
Roche. the world is inclined to pass by as being but of the
Alexander Roche was born in Glasgow on the commonplace life of the day it lives in—eyes that
17th of August, 1863, his father being of French have revealed to the world what magic of colour is
stock, his mother a Johnstone from the Borders. in the greys of nature, what tender greys lurk in the
His early training was at the Glasgow School of gayest colour. Hence it comes that, just as some
Art, where he had for fellow-student his friend romantic minds would seek for the colour of life in
John Lavery, with whom he went in 1881, being the romance of action, so Roche's eyes see romance
now about eighteen, to Paris, becoming a student in the colour of things. He is, above all else, a
at Julien's schools, having for masters Boulanger colourist, and he has the gift to fling upon canvas
and Lefebvre; later he studied under Gerome. with quick, deft brush that strange, almost musical
Two years saw the young fellow back in Glasgow, quality which thrills the sense with colour as music
but a fire destroyed his studio, and he packed off thrills the ear with sound.
to Paris again. Restless to get back to work, how- Alexander Roche was at first influenced by the
ever, he returned to Glasgow, in the neighbourhood works of the French Romanticists and the modern
" landscape"
204
(Copyright reserved)
by alexander roche
of the North, it is in Glasgow that you shall find, of which he has remained until his recent move to
working with many aims in common, a band of men Edinburgh, where he is now settled. The rest of
whose pictures are sought after by foreign States his career has been an eager striving to express in
for the enrichment of their permanent collections. terms of colour the music that is in him.
And of all the younger men of genius who have Alexander Roche, then, is bred of the rbmantic
brought distinction to this great city there is none blood of the Borders, with eyes of the dainty vision
in the realm of colour more gifted than Alexander of France, eyes that see beauty in what the rest of
Roche. the world is inclined to pass by as being but of the
Alexander Roche was born in Glasgow on the commonplace life of the day it lives in—eyes that
17th of August, 1863, his father being of French have revealed to the world what magic of colour is
stock, his mother a Johnstone from the Borders. in the greys of nature, what tender greys lurk in the
His early training was at the Glasgow School of gayest colour. Hence it comes that, just as some
Art, where he had for fellow-student his friend romantic minds would seek for the colour of life in
John Lavery, with whom he went in 1881, being the romance of action, so Roche's eyes see romance
now about eighteen, to Paris, becoming a student in the colour of things. He is, above all else, a
at Julien's schools, having for masters Boulanger colourist, and he has the gift to fling upon canvas
and Lefebvre; later he studied under Gerome. with quick, deft brush that strange, almost musical
Two years saw the young fellow back in Glasgow, quality which thrills the sense with colour as music
but a fire destroyed his studio, and he packed off thrills the ear with sound.
to Paris again. Restless to get back to work, how- Alexander Roche was at first influenced by the
ever, he returned to Glasgow, in the neighbourhood works of the French Romanticists and the modern
" landscape"
204
(Copyright reserved)
by alexander roche