Restalrig Village
Artist: Gillies, William George, Sir, CBE RA RSA PPRSW · 1898-1973
Restalrig village is now incorporated into the broader spread of the city of Edinburgh. The particular viewpoint is from the end of Restalrig Road South looking north east.
Gillies has used considerable artistic licence and in reality it is impossible to see the churchyard gateway, gable end and church building as depicted, the house obscuring the church in reality.
On the opposite side of the road the arched pend is his own conceit whilst the crow stepped gabled property at its far end has been significantly broadened in width.
To the left of this is an ambiguous area picked out in a lighter tone similar to the foreground pavement which gives the impression of a broad expanse of water beyond but is clearly a garden wall with a single doorway. There is a cluster of new housing which rises above the crow stepped property today.
The painting bears stylistic and compositional comparisons with his two oils of Gardenstown where a central foreground road disappears in the middle ground suggesting a steep descent on the other side and with a church building prominent.
See also G.1992.037 for another view of this scene from an almost identical viewpoint, but handled very differently. Another similar work was sold at Christie's London rooms on 2007-10-24, lot 40, oil on board, c.1932-34
© Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture
Additional details
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Object data
Date c.1929 - c.1934 Accession G.1992.047 Materials Support canvas Dimensions Sight size, to mark of edge of stretcher
60.2cm x 90.9cm
Support
66.5cm x 95cmMedium Paint, oil -
Exhibitions
No exhibition data for this record.
