19th-21st Century British Drawings, Paintings & Sculpture

Cyril Gerber Fine Art James Kay, RSA RSW 1858-1942

James Kay RSA RSW 1858-1942 Thursday 7th August - 31st August 2014

Throughout the 1940’s the interest in the Glasgow Boys rose dramatically, and the demand for such artists as Henry, Lavery and Walton grew. One Glasgow painter of the period who was not so widely prominent was James Kay (active from the 1890’s until 1942) yet he had a quality and range of consistency second to none.

He was a genuine artistic traveller but he drew inspiration very near to home – the bustling shipping on the River Clyde, where flourishing shipyards at the time were hailed as the workshops of the Western world. Born in Arran on the Firth of Clyde where his father was stationed as a Royal Naval Officer, observing the river and its shipping was familiar to him as he grew up. “In his river paintings, he strived to capture the atmosphere of industrialisation, the smoke and grime, rather than romanticising about the sea. Smoke, steam, water, light and the great silhouetted forms of ships captured this reality in a dramatic way.” Anne C. O’Neill.

Kay arrived in Glasgow at a most auspicious time, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art when the Glasgow Boys were coming to prominence. He developed his own style and subject matter, following The Hague School and Dutch 17th Century Marine painters, but also, having lived and worked in Paris, he absorbed the atmosphere and influence of the French Impressionists which is evident in his city and landscapes. The end of the war made travel easier, and Kay travelled regularly, absorbing the sunshine and light of the Mediterranean. Whether he was painting in Paris, Palma, Glasgow or Copenhagen, he had a special personal ability to reflect the life and atmosphere of these places. Kay exhibited regularly in the Royal Glasgow Institute, the RSA and the Paris Salon. He is a Scottish artist of international standing and his work is held in numerous public collections.

Amongst his many studios in Glasgow, he had four in West Regent Street, where this gallery is situated and it is therefore fitting that his paintings return to this location today. We hope that you and your guests will join us to view the exhibition on the evening of Thursday 7th August from 5.30-7.30pm.

Front cover image: In the Launch, oil on board, 14” x 20”

All work are for sale upon receipt of this catalogue and can be viewed on our website: www.gerberfineart.co.uk

Steamboats on the Clyde - oil on canvas, 25” x 30”

Shipyard on the Clyde - oil on board, 26 ½”x 30 ¾”

River scene with Boat & Boatyard, Watercolour, 6 ¾”x 9 ½”

Whistlefield, Loch Long, oil on canvas, 10”x 14”

A View of Rothesay - oil on board, 20” x 24” The Bustling River - oil on board, 21” x 25”

Near Kilmacolm - oil on board, 20¼” x 30¼” Blackwaterfoot, Arran - watercolour, 13½” x 20½”

Aberdour, Fife - pastel, 12” x 15”

River Scene - watercolour, 9½” x 13¼” Steamer off the Coast, pastel, 7¼” x 10”

Boats on the River, Watercolour, 9” x 13¼”

Boulevard Strasbourg, Le Havre - oil on panel, 9½” x 14” The Pont Neuf, Paris - watercolour, 20” x 24”

The Glasgow Exhibition, 1901 - pastel, 10¾” x 13½” Bathing Parade - pastel, 6½” x 9¾”

St Enogat, Brittany - gouache, 9¼” x 13½”

The Fishing Fleet, Honfleur - gouache, 11” x 17”

Gibraltar - watercolour, 7½” x 9½” Near the Riviera - oil on board, 11¾” x 17¾”

Nocturne, Bruges, Belgium - oil on board, 10” x 14”

A Village Street with Houses, c. 1899watercolour, 8” x 6¼”

Paris, Street Scene, watercolour, 6½” x 4½” A Breezy Day on the Beach - pastel, 7¼” x 10”

178 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL | Tel: 0141 221 3095 | Mon-Fri: 9.30-5.30, Sat: 10 - 5.00

19th-21st Century British Drawings, Paintings & Sculpture

Cyril Gerber Fine Art

View of Dumgoyne & Campsie Fells, looking from the east to Ben Lomond, watercolour, 7” x 10”

First Snow, Whistlefield, Loch Longoil on canvas, 10” x 14”