Rev. John Thomson of Duddingston. 'Landscape with River, Lake and Mountains,' Scottish, early 19th century.

In the foreground, water, narrowing to pass through banks with shrubs and trees to left and right and broadening to a large expanse of lake, beyond which is a twin-peaked mountain.

Acquisition method unknown; formerly in the Circulating collection

In this oil sketch on paper, Thomson has evoked the main features of the landscape in broad, rapid brushstrokes. He contrasts the dark foliage of the foreground trees with the bluish-white of the lake and distant mountains and, in doing so, conveys a sense of mood, as well as recession.

Thomson painted many such sketches from nature of his native Scotland and was known to work quickly, often completing a sketch in a matter of hours. He was interested in the power of association with Scotland’s literary and historic past, and his expressive, vigorous style evoked the mood of a landscape as opposed to its topographical features. His small sketches in particular, have been much praised in this regard.

Thomson was a successful, Scottish landscapist who was also minister of Duddingston from 1805. He was influenced by the Old Masters, including Claude Lorrain (c.1604-82), but also produced works of real originality, such as his small oil sketches. He was a close friend of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), who was another influence on his work, and collaborated with J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) to produce illustrations, which were later engraved, for Scott’s Provincial Antiquities and Picturesque Scenery of Scotland (1826).

In this small sketch on paper, Thomson evokes the bare essentials of the landscape in small, rapid brush strokes. He was known to paint many such sketches from nature, often completing them in a matter of hours, and they have been praised for their originality. Thomson was a successful, Scottish landscapist who was also minister for Duddingston from 1805. He was a close friend of the writer Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), who was an important influence on his work, and collaborated with J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) to produce illustrations for Scott’s Provincial Antiquities and Picturesque Scenery of Scotland (1826).

P.41-1937