Studio: international art (65.1915)

The Royal Scottish Academy

room, and Mr. G. A. Storey’s portrait of himself
when a youth. Evidently painted many years ago,
it is one of the fine things in the collection. Other
attractions are Mr. Melton Fisher’s Winifred and
Mr. La Thangue’s Provencal Wilder.

Sir James Guthrie is represented by three
portraits. The principal one is that of the Duke
of Atholl—Sir James has already painted the
Marquis and Marchioness of Tullibardine—and
the President has wisely chosen to represent the
Duke not in any panoply of rank but as the simple
Highland laird most content to be among his
mountains and glens. The bold suggestiveness of
the background is not the least interesting feature;
the head stands out well against the dark cloud
brooding over the summit of the hill. His three-
quarter length portrait of Mrs. Gardiner against a
crimson background is full scaled in colour yet very
gracious, and fine quality of colour and a distinc-
tive personal note are shown in the smaller portrait
of Mr. Gardiner. Mr. E. A. Walton is attaining a
finer quality in his flesh
painting, which is exempli-
fied in his portrait of Mr.

Theodore Salvesen in the
quiet but pictorially attrac-
tive uniform of a Scottish
Royal archer and even
more so in that of Mr. A.

J. Dunlop. Mr. Fiddes
Watt’s two portraits are
rather remarkably dis-
similar, that of Mr. David
Thomson in Deputy Lieu-
tenant’s uniform is marked
by rather pronounced
fidelity to outward charac-
teristics of feature, whereas
his Mr. Speir of Culdees is
not only suave, it has a
spiritual quality which
places it in the very front
rank of Mr. Watt’s por-
traiture. A beautiful sim-
plicity and fine colour
quality is evidenced in Mr.

Henry Kerr’s portrait of
Miss Helen Munro, and
an air of dignity and re-
finement characterises his
portrait of the veteran
Border minister—the Rev.

J. Barr Pollock. Of Mr.

Robert Hope’s two por-

traits, the finer is that of Miss Nasmyth, delightfully
natural, and rich in its colour quality. Very attrac-
tive also is his Vanity Glass, a large figure-subject
of a veiled lady seated on a chintz-covered couch,
while Mr. Hugh Cameron’s study of a girl sewing,
not a recent work, will hold place with the best
of this artist’s studies of girlhood. Mr. Gemmell
Hutchison is at his best in the child portrait
Margaret; Mr. Robert Burns has been successful
with his portrait of the late Mr. Campbell Noble ;
Mr. James Paterson in his portrait study Pansies is
expressively thoughtful; his son Mr. Hamish Pater-
son has a clever study of a young woman ; and of
beautiful rich colour quality is Mr. John R. Barclay’s
Nancy, fascinating in its quaintness.

The place of honour in the Great Room has
been accorded to Mr. John Lavery’s large picture
of Anna Pavlova under the limelight in one of her
fascinating dances, picturesquely flamboyant, puls-
ing with vigorous yet seemingly effortless action.
Another centre-piece is Mr. Robert Burns’s painting,

BY JOHN R. BARCLAY