The Harbour, St Tropez
Provenance:Christie’s Scotland, Edinburgh, The Scottish Sale, 19th April 1984, Lot 33William Hardie, GlasgowThe Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation, London (Ref: 487)Christie’s Scotland, Edinburgh, The Scottish Sale, 1st November 2001, Lot 151Private Collection, Scotland Literature:William Hardie, Gallery: A Life in Art, Waverley Books, Glasgow, 2017, p.76Bill Smith, A Picture of Flemings, Robert Fleming Holdings, London 1985, p.120M.N. Millar, The Missing Colourist: The search for John Maclauchlan Milne RSA, privately published, 2002, P.78 John Maclauchlan Milne was born in Edinburgh in 1885 to an artistic family. Both his father, the traditional landscape artist, John Milne and his uncle were successful painters and had an influence on his early work. He studied at George Watson’s College and went onto the Edinburgh College of Art.Shortly after completing his studies, Milne moved to Canada where he worked for several years, herding and tending cattle. On his return to Dundee, he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps with whom he served during the First World War. In 1919, Milne returned to France and spent long periods of time there, notably firstly in Paris where he resided in the Rue des Quatre-Vents from which he travelled often to the village of Lavardin, near Vendome in the region of the Loire and subsequently to the Mediterranean coast. From 1924 to 1931, Milne travelled between L’Estaque, West of Marseilles and St Paul de Vence and Carros, near Nice. He befriended fellow Scottish painters, Samual John Peploe, Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell and the Bloomsbury Group artist, Duncan Grant.He is often regarded as the fifth Scottish Colourist, although a generation younger, but much influenced by them and in addition by Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gaughin. He painted mostly coastal scenes, landscapes and still lives with a vibrant palette and strong brush strokes illustrating his own unique style. Cassis, St Tropez and St Paul de Vence were Milne’s favourite locations in Provence and much of his work was produced in this area during the mid-1920’s to 1931. There are several examples during this period, of the harbour of St Tropez, a favourite subject for Milne, as seen with this magnificent example.Milne became a member of the Society of Scottish Artists in 1926. He exhibited with them annually from 1925 to 1938. On 7th December 1926, The Evening Telegraph, Dundee made an opening announcement of Lunch and Tea Rooms at 33 Union Street during which Milne exhibited some of his work from Provence, some canvases and watercolour sketches. In 1927, he had a busy year, exhibiting at the Reid & Lefevre Gallery, 117-121 West George Street, Glasgow and in The Herald on 28th September in the “Art in Glasgow” section it was reported “Mr Milne has spent a considerable period in the South of France and the majority of the works he has on view are the fruits of his visits to the environs of St Tropez.”As well as enjoying the company of the Scottish Colourists and exhibiting along side them, he also shared many of their patrons. William Boyd, the MD of Keillers Marmalade became one of the most important patrons. Boyd’s home at Claremont, housed paintings by Monet, Sisley, Van Gogh, Matisse along-side Peploe, Hunter and Milne. Alexander Keiler, head of the marmalade firm paid Milne a fee so that he could spend his Summer’s in France, in return for paintings. Matthew Justice, a close friend of Hunter as well as his agent in the 1920’s owned around a dozen of Milne’s works. His sitting room was hung exclusively with works by Peploe and Milne. Justice also friends with William Boyd and James Tattersall another important patron of Milne.Milne finally settled on the Isle of Arran before the outbreak of the Second World War and remained there until his death. His home was near Corrie Harbour in the hamlet of High Corrie.His work from this period shows the influence from his Scottish Colourist friends and his years spent visiting the Mediterranean with special attention to light and bright and strong colours used by the Impressionists.He exhibited at the Glasgow Institute and the Royal Scottish Academy as well as numerous exhibitions in London and New York. He was made an ARSA in 1934 and RSA in 1938. A Centenary exhibition was held at Dundee Art Gallery & Museum in 1985. His work can be found in numerous museums in Scotland, Manchester Art Gallery and the collection of the Clydesdale Bank, in addition to many private collections around the world.Milne died in 1957 on his beloved Isle of Arran.His surname is often recorded as Maclaughlan Milne but his signature spelling is Maclauchlan Milne.){kind=link}
Oil on canvas
Signed
51 x 61 cm (20 x 24 ins)
Provenance:
Christie’s Scotland, Edinburgh, The Scottish Sale, 19th April 1984, Lot 33
William Hardie, Glasgow
The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation, London (Ref: 487)
Christie’s Scotland, Edinburgh, The Scottish Sale, 1st November 2001, Lot 151
Private Collection, Scotland
Literature:
William Hardie, Gallery: A Life in Art, Waverley Books, Glasgow, 2017, p.76
Bill Smith, A Picture of Flemings, Robert Fleming Holdings, London 1985, p.120
M.N. Millar, The Missing Colourist: The search for John Maclauchlan Milne RSA, privately published, 2002, P.78
John Maclauchlan Milne was born in Edinburgh in 1885 to an artistic family. Both his father, the traditional landscape artist, John Milne and his uncle were successful painters and had an influence on his early work. He studied at George Watson’s College and went onto the Edinburgh College of Art.
Shortly after completing his studies, Milne moved to Canada where he worked for several years, herding and tending cattle. On his return to Dundee, he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps with whom he served during the First World War. In 1919, Milne returned to France and spent long periods of time there, notably firstly in Paris where he resided in the Rue des Quatre-Vents from which he travelled often to the village of Lavardin, near Vendome in the region of the Loire and subsequently to the Mediterranean coast. From 1924 to 1931, Milne travelled between L’Estaque, West of Marseilles and St Paul de Vence and Carros, near Nice. He befriended fellow Scottish painters, Samual John Peploe, Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell and the Bloomsbury Group artist, Duncan Grant.
He is often regarded as the fifth Scottish Colourist, although a generation younger, but much influenced by them and in addition by Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gaughin. He painted mostly coastal scenes, landscapes and still lives with a vibrant palette and strong brush strokes illustrating his own unique style. Cassis, St Tropez and St Paul de Vence were Milne’s favourite locations in Provence and much of his work was produced in this area during the mid-1920’s to 1931. There are several examples during this period, of the harbour of St Tropez, a favourite subject for Milne, as seen with this magnificent example.
Milne became a member of the Society of Scottish Artists in 1926. He exhibited with them annually from 1925 to 1938. On 7th December 1926, The Evening Telegraph, Dundee made an opening announcement of Lunch and Tea Rooms at 33 Union Street during which Milne exhibited some of his work from Provence, some canvases and watercolour sketches. In 1927, he had a busy year, exhibiting at the Reid & Lefevre Gallery, 117-121 West George Street, Glasgow and in The Herald on 28th September in the “Art in Glasgow” section it was reported “Mr Milne has spent a considerable period in the South of France and the majority of the works he has on view are the fruits of his visits to the environs of St Tropez.”
As well as enjoying the company of the Scottish Colourists and exhibiting along side them, he also shared many of their patrons. William Boyd, the MD of Keillers Marmalade became one of the most important patrons. Boyd’s home at Claremont, housed paintings by Monet, Sisley, Van Gogh, Matisse along-side Peploe, Hunter and Milne. Alexander Keiler, head of the marmalade firm paid Milne a fee so that he could spend his Summer’s in France, in return for paintings. Matthew Justice, a close friend of Hunter as well as his agent in the 1920’s owned around a dozen of Milne’s works. His sitting room was hung exclusively with works by Peploe and Milne. Justice also friends with William Boyd and James Tattersall another important patron of Milne.
Milne finally settled on the Isle of Arran before the outbreak of the Second World War and remained there until his death. His home was near Corrie Harbour in the hamlet of High Corrie.
His work from this period shows the influence from his Scottish Colourist friends and his years spent visiting the Mediterranean with special attention to light and bright and strong colours used by the Impressionists.
He exhibited at the Glasgow Institute and the Royal Scottish Academy as well as numerous exhibitions in London and New York. He was made an ARSA in 1934 and RSA in 1938. A Centenary exhibition was held at Dundee Art Gallery & Museum in 1985. His work can be found in numerous museums in Scotland, Manchester Art Gallery and the collection of the Clydesdale Bank, in addition to many private collections around the world.
Milne died in 1957 on his beloved Isle of Arran.
His surname is often recorded as Maclaughlan Milne but his signature spelling is Maclauchlan Milne.