French Connection at gallery

Jan 20 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

PERTH Museum and Art Gallery’s fine art collection includes work by some of the key French and Scottish artists of the 19th century and a new exhibition entitled ‘French Connections’ seeks to look at the influence of French art on Scottish artists.

French art did not become popular in Britain until the late 19th century when new patrons of art such as the wealthy industrial magnates began collecting contemporary art. Art dealers in Scotland were particularly active in promoting the work of French painters such as those of the Barbizon School – so called because they painted outdoors near the village of Barbizon in the forest of Fontainebleu.

French artists such as Courbet and Millet had pioneered the idea of Realism in art where they painted views of ordinary people at work or at home going about their daily tasks. These pictures were painted on a large scale intended to be shown at the main exhibitions of the day such as the Paris Salon. Many people saw these works as a challenge to the establishment and ‘revolutionary’ in tone.

Scottish artists found the French arts scene stimulating and it became customary for aspiring young artists to travel to Paris to study in the studio of one of the masters as well as spending time sketching village life around Barbizon and at various other rural locations. Normandy and Brittany were popular painting places.

The exhibition includes French landscapes and figure paintings by both French and Scottish artists and seeks to show the many connections between the two countries and their artists. Highlights include The Dye House by Henri Coeylas, showing the interior of a dye works in Paris. The painting was once owned by the Pullars of Perth. A small oil by Eugene Boudin illustrates a scene at Trouville on the Normandy coast. Scottish art includes ‘Glasgow Boys’ William York MacGregor’s The Mill Pond and a woodland scene by E A Hornel.

Visitors can make their own sketches in the gallery where easels and drawing materials will be available. They can also learn a few French words with the help of a language guide also available in the gallery during the exhibition.

French Connections continues until Ooctober 24. Perth Museum and Art Gallery is open Monday to Saturday 10am until 5pm. Admission is free.