An exhibition of new work by Alison Watt, widely regarded as one of the leading painters working in the UK today, comes to Inverness Museum & Art Gallery this week.
Watt, known for her beautiful and intricate large-scale paintings of drapery and folds, is exhibiting a series of new paintings made in response to the practice of the 18th century portrait painter, Allan Ramsay.
The show, A Portrait without Likeness, comes to Inverness following its recent successful showing at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
High Life Highland’s Exhibitions Officer Cathy Shankland said: “We have had the pleasure and privilege of working in partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland on a number of occasions and we are delighted that, through their support, this thoughtful and exquisite exhibition can be enjoyed by visitors in Inverness as well as in Edinburgh.”
The show explores Watt’s fascination with Ramsay’s portraits and is the result of a long period of study of paintings, drawings and sketchbooks from his extensive archive held by the National Galleries of Scotland.
Watt has long been an admirer of Ramsay’s portraits, in particular the intensely personal images of his first and second wives.
Director of European and Scottish Art and Portraiture at the National Galleries of Scotland Christopher Baker said: “Alison Watt’s beautiful and serene paintings in this inspiring exhibition are the result of a profound study of historical Scottish portraiture, but also stand as a brilliant new and thought-provoking development in the work of one of our greatest contemporary artists.
“They have been admired and enjoyed by many visitors to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and we are absolutely delighted that they can now be seen in Inverness, where I have no doubt they will prove immensely popular.”
The portrait of Allan Ramsay’s second wife, Margaret Lindsay of Evelick, with six drawings and one of his sketchbooks containing detailed studies for the portraits have been lent by the National Galleries of Scotland to Inverness Museum & Art Gallery as part of the exhibition.
The exhibition, which runs from Saturday (January 29) until April 2, is organised by the National Galleries of Scotland in association with High Life Highland.
