Temple, Old Parish Church
Artist: Gillies, William George, Sir, CBE RA RSA PPRSW · 1898-1973
The artist moved with his mother and elder sister Janet to the village of Temple in Midlothian in 1939.
The village provided Gillies with a base from which to explore and paint the many surrounding villages and favoured landscapes, many being within a relatively short drive away.
But Gillies during his 34 years as a resident also made numerous drawings and paintings inspired by his immediate surroundings. The majority of these are records of his house on the village's main road and its back garden.
However he also ventured further. Here he has chosen the ruined old parish church which stands a short walk from his home on the other side of the road.
He has all but abandoned any attempt to recreate convincing spatial depth, concentrating instead on using colour and the application of paint to create a sense of time and place.
Gillies leaves the component elements just recognizable enough to make sense of the scene.
© Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture
Additional details
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Object data
Date 1940 - 1949 Accession G.1991.887 Materials Support canvas Dimensions 33.4cm x 35.9cm Medium Paint, oil -
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