The Old Mill, Anstruther<br />Arthur MacDonald

Title:    The Old Mill, Anstruther
Artist:  Arthur MacDonald   1897 - 1940

Provenance:
Bought from an executor in Fife.
The painting is signed ‘A MacDonald’ in lower left.

Subject:
Central in the painting is a watermill.  To the left are outbuildings and to the right is a steep bank.  In the foreground are pools of water being fed from a stream.  The buildings are typical of east coast fishing villages i.e. craw stepping gables, pan tile roofs and white pebble dash walls. The painting is illuminated by east coast light.  Dabs of paint create the white walls and red roofs whilst the use of blue, white and brown create the running water and the still pools.  The artist’s free brush work, colourful palette and use of heavy paint gives the painting great clarity and his visual perspective and drawing creates a wonderful composition.

Artist:
Arthur MacDonald’s name has been associated with the Glasgow Boys and the Edinbugh Colourists.  His outstanding draftsmanship, perspective and free use of colour produce wonderful compositions.  Moving to Sunny Side in Pittenweem, Fife, he focused predominantly on rural and coastal scenes.  His paintings were appreciated by great collectors such as Sir William Burrell and Wemyss-Honeyman.

Condition:
The painting is in oils on a wood panel.  It has never been cleaned and has no paint loss. 

Summary:
In view of the artist’s short painting life and the excellent quality of his paintings this piece must be a good investment and a joy to live with.