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Portrait of Robert Harold Morton

Artist: Sutherland, David MacBeth, RSA · 1883-1973

Portrait of Robert Harold Morton

Morton began his art studies at Glasgow School of Art before transferring to The Slade in London. His studies there were interrupted on his enlisting…

Morton began his art studies at Glasgow School of Art before transferring to The Slade in London. His studies there were interrupted on his enlisting with The Artists' Rifles and were only resumed in 1920 when he enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art.

The Painting Department was headed by David Alison and Sutherland was amongst the teaching staff, alongside his wife Dorothy Johnstone, Donald Moodie and Adam Bruce Thomson, all of whom would become elected members of the RSA. Sutherland and Morton became friends and at least one other portrait of Morton by Sutherland is recorded; a double [portrait of Morton and Sutherland's wife Dorothy Johnstone looking at an illustrated book on Botticelli was sketched in 1929.

The present work is undated but was probably painted in the 1930s. The decade had begun well for Morton as he was instrumental in securing a selection of works directly from Edvard Munch which were included in the SSA Annual Exhibition of 1931.

Morton who stood six feet tall and was an attractive personality had met Munch in Oslo in company of Fanny Aavatsmark to whom he appears to have been engaged. equally besotted by her was [Sir] William MacTaggart another of Morton's close friends. In 1937 fanny broke the engagement, possibly because of Morton's sexuality, and married MacTaggart though the three remained friendly to the end of Morton's life.

© The Artist's Estate