The Alchemist

Date

1855 (painted)

Artist/maker

Douglas, William Fettes, born 1822 - died 1891 (painter (artist))

Materials and Techniques

Oil on canvas

Marks and inscriptions

'1855 [the Douglas crest of a heart, crossed swords, and a crown] fecit'

Dimensions

Height: 130.7 cm approx., Width: 100.3 cm approx.

Object history note

Bequeathed by Mrs Jane Clara Focchetti, 1873

Descriptive line

Oil painting, 'The Alchemist', William Fettes Douglas, 1855

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Parkinson, R., Victoria and Albert Museum, Catalogue of British Oil Paintings 1820-1860, London: HMSO, 1990, pp. 71-72
The following is the full text of the entry:
"DOUGLAS, Sir William Fettes, PRSA (1822-1891)

Born Edinburgh 29 March 1822, the son of a bank accountant and amateur watercolour painter. Worked in a bank from 1836 for about ten years, drawing in his spare time; turned to professional painting 1847, first portraits, eventually specialising in genre and historical scenes, particularly antiquarian and occult subjects, and later some landscapes. Exhibited nine works at the RA between 1862 and 1875, two at the Bl in 1849, but principally at the RSA: 206 paintings 1845-1888, elected Associate 1851, Member 1854, and President 1882. Curator of the NGS 1877-82; knighted 1882. He made a sketching tour of England 1851, visited Italy 1857, where he began his collection of antiquities of all kinds (but especially medals), Sweden 1861, and France and Italy 1866-7. Died Newburgh, Fife, 20 July 1891. Sales of his collections were at Edinburgh 18 and 25 February 1865 and 10-12 December 1891, and at Christie's 10 May 1883.
LIT: Eight Photogravures from the Works of Sir William Fettes Douglas ... (with an essay by J M Gray) 1885; The Scotsman 21 July 1891 (obit); The Academy 25 July 1891, p81 (obit); W D McKay The Scottish School of Painting 1906, pp334-40; J W Caw Scottish Painting Past and Present 1908, ppl72-4

The Alchemist
67-1873 Neg 51456
Canvas, 130.7 x 100.3 cm (51½ x 39½ ins)
Signed and dated '1855 [the Douglas crest of a heart, crossed swords, and a crown] fecit' in red on box in centre foreground

Bequeathed by Mrs Jane Clara Focchetti (in memory of her deceased mother, Mary Lebrun, and brother-in-law, Thomas Darcey) 1873

Presumably the picture of the same title exhibited at the RSA in 1857, lent according to the catalogue by an unnamed Liverpool owner. It is described by Gray as painted in 1854:

Its two figures are placed in a lofty and spacious room such as Gerard Dou loved. The grey-bearded alchemist stands surrounded by his books and his instruments, bending humbly, waiting deferentially upon his visitor, a stalwart, soldierly man of action, who, seeking the aid of wealth for the furtherance of his schemes of quite practical and mundane advancement, raises with both hands, high to the light, a great flask of golden-tinted liquid which bids fair to realise his dreams of power.

With its wealth of antiquarian detail (the artist was himself a considerable collector) and meticulous painting, it is characteristic of this painter's work. The subject of an alchemist in his 'laboratory' is most commonly found in the work of Thomas Wyck (c1616-77). The subject was presumably also inspired by Sir Waiter Scott's novel The Antiquary and its character of Jonathan Oldbuck, from which Douglas later painted a scene ('The Invasion of the Sanctum Sanctorum', 1874, Dundee Museum and Art Gallery)."
Notice in the Edinburgh Evening Courant, 3 March 1857, 2nd notice of the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition.
What follows is an extract from the article:

'Mr Wm. Douglas has some excellent pictures, painted with that careful study and masterly handling which characterise most of his works. The best of these is No. 156, "The Alchemist". At a table piled up with books, mathematical instruments, and anatomical preparations, and hear a carved bookcase filled with the mystic vellum-bound tomes of the Hermetic philosophy, is seated an old man greedily examining the contents of a crucible; his eyes are bleared by the heat and smoke of the furnace, and his complexion shrivelled and wrinkled by confinement and study - a true type of those earnest, but mistaken workers, who, while searching for the powder of transmutation and the elixir of life, collected that mass of valuable facts on which rests the splendid edifice of modern chemistry. Beyond is seen the red glow of a furnace, with stills, alembics, and other chemical apparatus. The accessories of the picture are painted with singular skill, care, and fidelity, but without at all detracting from the general breadth and unity of effect; indeed, we have never seen any picture of Mr Douglas whose conception and treatment so much pleased us.'
Notice in the Scotsman, 4 March 1857, 4th notice of the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition.
What follows is an extract from the article:

'Trusting to a dim recollection of the works of fiction emanating from the notorious Minerva press, we may say that the heroine was invariably represented as clothed with every virtue under heaven, and the amplified description of her personal charms generally concluded with the assurance that she was "exceedingly pale and very interesting". Mr W. Douglas seems to have taken a hint from these thrilling novels, for his heroes (heroines we seldom see) are all "exceedingly pale and very interesting". Even the "Messenger of Evil Things" in the picture bearing that title - no. 296 - though splashed all over with mud to denote the haste with which he had travelled, looks as pale and stupid as the veriest teetotaller of the most Hope-less creed. Scott's conception of such a messenger was not in accordance with that of Mr Douglas. By him he is represented as "Bloody with spurring, fiery red with haste." Of the picture otherwise we have a high admiration. The expression of the different figures is made out with much ability and discrimination; the man comprehends at once the whole force of the evil tidings; the woman, on the contrary, appears so stunned by the blow that she looks quite bewildered and incapable of realising either its amount or effect. The seneschal and others at the door are effectively introduced, and the whole accessories are painted as only Mr Douglas can paint them. We do not believe there is a man living at the present day who could rival Mr Douglas in this respect. Only turn to his large picture of an "Alchemist", no. 156, and see what glorious colour he contrives to diffuse over such scenes. Of the old masters, Wyck was distinguished in this class of subjects, and it is no disparagement to Mr Douglas to say that he has looked at that master, and with advantage too. Sidrophel and another scene from "Hudibras" are both interesting from their humour and colour. In the former the peep through the window and open door is delightfully managed.

We believe Mr Douglas intends shortly to go abroad, and his absence will be a great loss to the Academy Exhibitions; but we hope soon to welcome his return in renovated health, and doubt not his taste for the supernatural will not be diminished by his visit to the East - the land of so many wonders'.

Exhibition History

Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition (Royal Scottish Academy Building, Edinburgh 01/01/1857-31/12/1857)

Materials

Oil paint; Canvas

Techniques

Oil painting

Subjects depicted

Alchemist

Categories

Paintings

Collection code

PDP