The Road to the Sea, and Skye

The present work depicts a view from the North End of Iona toward Rhum and Skye. Cadell first discovered Iona during a sailing trip in 1913, and was beguiled by its remote, idyllic beauty. Like many of the artist’s Iona views, The Road to the Sea, and Skye is painted on panel. The artist often used panels as they were lightweight and could be cut to an easily portable size making them ideal for en plein air painting in the changeable weather conditions of the Inner Hebrides.

The array of vibrant greens Cadell uses to portray the grass command the scene, intersected by the track leading into the picture towards the cobalt blue of the sea. The nude colouring of the track and the rocky landmass protruding from the right of the canvas are reflected in the clouds, giving the painting a wonderful chromatic balance and harmony.

An exercise in escapism and tranquillity, The Road to the Sea, and Skye is typical of Cadell’s aesthetic optimism. Cadell succeeds in extracting the beauty from the views his beloved Iona offered and intoxicating the viewer by skilfully rendering them in a joyous colour palette. ‘His most valuable asset is an infective gaiety, a light-heartedness, combined with a daring and masterful use of colour – placed with a swift certainty of its effective display’ (S. Cursiter quoted in T. Hewlett, Cadell: A Scottish Colourist, London, 1988, p. 14).