The Art of Winter
After the excitement of Christmas and Hogmanay it can be hard to enjoy the often glum winter weather. Here are a few examples of how winter has inspired artists in Dundee City’s Collection – and you can enjoy the beauty of the season from the warmth of the indoors!
Winter Bouquet, watercolour by Anne Redpath
Anne Redpath studied at Edinburgh College of Art, subsequently raising a family and only returning to painting once they were grown. She made her reputation as a painter of still life and became one of the most respected Scottish artists of the twentieth century. Redpath blazed a trail for women artists. She had many solo exhibitions in Edinburgh and London and her work was much sought after. In 1952 she was elected a Royal Scottish Academician, the first female painter to be so honoured. In 1960 she became the first Scottish woman elected associate of the Royal Academy in London. Redpath’s work is characterised by her love of colour, pattern and form – as evidenced by this bouquet of berry reds, navy blues, and stormy purples. #stilllife #womenartists #winter.
© the Artist’s Estate. All Rights Reserved 2023/ Bridgeman Images
Winter Consolation, oil on canvas by Louise Ritchie (1991)
Winter Consolation is one of Louise Ritchie’s earliest works. Working in an expressionist style, she created an abstract interpretation of Dundee and its position on the river. Look for the backdrop of hills, bridge forms and the dramatic leaping red salmon. The work is a perfect interpretation of the winter sun, appearing all the brighter in the gloom of winter. This work is currently on display in A Weather Eye exhibition at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum #scottishart #womenartists #winter.
© louiseritchie. Image credit: Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection (Dundee City Council)
The Wood in Winter, oil on board by James Morrison (1981)
James Morrison studied at Glasgow School of Art, joining the staff of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 1965 and settling in Montrose. His art was inspired by his abiding love of landscape. He explored the minutiae of the natural world around him, whether the gnarled roots of a tree or the limitless expanse of an east coast sky. This stretch of woods is one he returned to many times during his career, the central tree appearing in drawings, prints and paintings. This work is currently on display in A Weather Eye exhibition at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum #scottishart #winterlandscape #snowscene.
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection (Dundee City Council)
Untitled (from Dundee: City in Transition, Impressions of the City), photographic print by Joseph McKenzie (1964-66)
Joseph McKenzie (1929- 2015), considered the father of modern Scottish photography, was born in London’s east end but moved to Dundee in 1964 to take up the new position as Head of Photography at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. On arrival, he described himself ‘poleaxed by the combination of wonderful light and an eroding urban texture’. He fell in love with the City and its people and over the decades that followed was a witness to its many changes. These are reflected in his most celebrated photo essay, prophetically entitled Dundee: City in Transition. In this work we see how McKenzie has captured the crisp brightness of the snow over the allotments and houses from Law Hill, with the Tay and Road bridges in the distant suffused winter light.
© The Joseph McKenzie Archive. Image credit: Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection (Dundee City Council)
The Herald of Winter, oil on canvas by Thomas Millie Dow (1894)
Dow was associated with the Glasgow Boys, and like many of them, he turned to Symbolism in the 1890s. 'The Herald of Winter' is portrayed as a monumental female figure with flowing golden red locks, standing on a rock and blowing a horn to summon the swans that flock around her. In Celtic tradition the swan is an Otherworldly bird, often the disguise of Fairy Women. At certain times of year, it was believed that a swan maiden could transform herself back into a human, such as at the summer and winter solstices. In this watery blue hued painting, Dow conveys his fascination for the Celtic Revival movement. This work is on display in our Victoria Gallery at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum. #GlasgowBoys #ScottishArt #CelticRevival #Symbolism #ThomasMillieDow #winter.
Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection (Dundee City Council)
A Donkey in Snow, oil on canvas by John MacWhirter (c.1880)
Based in London, MacWhirter travelled extensively, especially in the mountainous regions of Norway, Austria and Italy, as well as his native Scotland.
This forlorn depiction of a donkey battling through a blizzard was one of a number of works painted by MacWhirter that depicted domestic animals, including sheep and cows, struggling against the elements.
Combining the mood of the weather with the pose of the animal he created artworks that sparked emotion in the viewer – joy or sadness, glory or gloom. Or, perhaps as here, sadness and resignation. I think we can all relate to this donkey on a wintery Monday morning!
Currently on display in A Weather Eye exhibition at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum #scottishart #winterlandscape #snowscene #Victorianart.
Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection (Dundee City Council)
