As part of the celebration of James Guthrie Orchar’s bicentenary, two treasures from Dundee’s fine art collection, including a beautiful watercolour by one of the greatest British landscape artists, Joseph Mallord William Turner have gone on display at The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum.
Turner’s exquisite River Scene, Le Havre (c.1832) captures the sun setting over the port of Le Havre on the Seine, France. Created during his travels on the Continent, this work was later engraved for the hugely popular Christmas annual The Keepsake in 1834. Turner, known as “the painter of light”, transformed landscape painting through his ethereal use of colour and atmospheric effects. His Le Havre series directly inspired Monet’s Impression, Sunrise (1874), the painting that gave birth to Impressionism.
James Guthrie Orchar, Dundee industrialist and passionate art collector, championed both artists. His original collection includes twelve watercolours by Bough, reflecting Orchar’s deep respect for scenes of rural life, a striking contrast to the industrial world he helped build.
Friday 21 November 2025 – Sunday 1 February 2026
