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Lot Essay
Born just outside Edinburgh in 1874, Fergusson only spent a short spell at the city's Trustees Academy before joining the artistic ferment in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century. This had a dramatic impact on him and he continued to return to France nearly every summer before settling there in 1907. He quickly became part of an Anglo-American group, and by 1909 had been elected Sociétaire of the Salon d'Automne. It was during this early period in Paris that he found friendship with the Scottish businessman Harry McColl, and his brother Bill. They became lifelong friends and Fergusson painted this portrait of Harry's wife, Grace, in 1930.
A large number of the drawings made by Fergusson in these early years in Paris owe a lot to McColl. He was the artist's companion and host on many visits to restaurants and other venues, which would otherwise have been outside Fergusson's reach at that time. Writing his biography, Fergusson's lifelong partner, the modern dance pioneer and artist Margaret Morris, wrote, "One of Fergus's best friends, Harry McColl, a business man working in Paris, took him to the races at Chantilly, and to a smart café afterwards where he might make sketches".1
McColl was Fergusson's first visitor when he left Paris and travelled south, settling in Antibes in December 1913. He wrote to Margaret Morris in London, "Yes, we had a very good time together - walked and talked about everything; it's really a terrific thing friendship ... Harry was the first person to come to see me. He's the man I like best. Quite wonderful".2
Later, in 1931, 'Mr and Mrs McColl' are noted in the press as attending the opening of Les Peintures Ecossais held at the Galeries Georges Petit in Paris. Also present were the French Fauvist painter Raoul Dufy and American sculptor Jo Davidson.3 As well as representing Fergusson, this exhibition included work by the other three Scottish Colourists, Telfer Bear and R.O. Dunlop.
As a great admirer of Fergusson's work, McColl purchased a number of his paintings. This picture was one of sixteen from his estate that were exhibited in A Group of Works by J D Fergusson at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh in June 1965. It was the first time they had been shown in Scotland as they had remained in Paris until McColl's death in 1957. They were subsequently purchased by Margaret Morris. The painting was exhibited again, in 1974, in an exhibition organised by the Fine Art Society to celebrate the centenary of Fergusson's birth. It was shown at the Fine Art Society premises in London and Edinburgh, and at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
Grace McColl showcases Fergusson's love of painting beautiful women. With the exception of his self-portraits, he focused almost exclusively on female sitters from 1907 onwards, the majority of whom were amongst his wide circle of friends. From circa 1915, his portraits display a purity of form, rhythmic line and a fascination with the shapes of objects. This work is a wonderful example of how he used colour, pattern and costume to suggest the personality of the sitter. Grace McColl was evidently a very sophisticated, fashionable woman.
We are very grateful to Jenny Kinnear, The Fergusson Gallery, Perth, for preparing this catalogue entry.
1See Margaret Morris, The Art of J D Fergusson, A Biased Biography, Glasgow & London, 1974, p. 64.
2Letter from Fergusson to Margaret Morris, 6 December 1913, Antibes.
3See article by Mary Shapiro, Chigaco Tribute, 1 March 1931.
A large number of the drawings made by Fergusson in these early years in Paris owe a lot to McColl. He was the artist's companion and host on many visits to restaurants and other venues, which would otherwise have been outside Fergusson's reach at that time. Writing his biography, Fergusson's lifelong partner, the modern dance pioneer and artist Margaret Morris, wrote, "One of Fergus's best friends, Harry McColl, a business man working in Paris, took him to the races at Chantilly, and to a smart café afterwards where he might make sketches".
McColl was Fergusson's first visitor when he left Paris and travelled south, settling in Antibes in December 1913. He wrote to Margaret Morris in London, "Yes, we had a very good time together - walked and talked about everything; it's really a terrific thing friendship ... Harry was the first person to come to see me. He's the man I like best. Quite wonderful".
Later, in 1931, 'Mr and Mrs McColl' are noted in the press as attending the opening of Les Peintures Ecossais held at the Galeries Georges Petit in Paris. Also present were the French Fauvist painter Raoul Dufy and American sculptor Jo Davidson.
As a great admirer of Fergusson's work, McColl purchased a number of his paintings. This picture was one of sixteen from his estate that were exhibited in A Group of Works by J D Fergusson at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh in June 1965. It was the first time they had been shown in Scotland as they had remained in Paris until McColl's death in 1957. They were subsequently purchased by Margaret Morris. The painting was exhibited again, in 1974, in an exhibition organised by the Fine Art Society to celebrate the centenary of Fergusson's birth. It was shown at the Fine Art Society premises in London and Edinburgh, and at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
Grace McColl showcases Fergusson's love of painting beautiful women. With the exception of his self-portraits, he focused almost exclusively on female sitters from 1907 onwards, the majority of whom were amongst his wide circle of friends. From circa 1915, his portraits display a purity of form, rhythmic line and a fascination with the shapes of objects. This work is a wonderful example of how he used colour, pattern and costume to suggest the personality of the sitter. Grace McColl was evidently a very sophisticated, fashionable woman.
We are very grateful to Jenny Kinnear, The Fergusson Gallery, Perth, for preparing this catalogue entry.