FDA-D.83-2010
Parts
Object number
FDA-D.83-2010
Object type
Identification
Title
A Scottish Village Dance
Whiteley
Whiteley
Title Type
assigned by cataloguer
collection
collection
Comments
Believed to be a work by Wilkie until the 1930s, this drawing was until recently attriuted to David Allan. In fact it resembles the work of neither of these artists so much as that of a man who provided a link between the two, Alexander Carse. Carse worked as Allan's assistant before training at the Trustees' Academy in Edinburgh with Wilkie around 1800. He had some success with genre scenes of Scottish life, and watercolours such as his 'Oldhamstocks Fair', dated 1796, provided an important model for one of Wilkie's earliest successes, 'Pitlessie Fair', dated 1804. This charming country scene of an impromptu dance is probably a relatively early work by Carse, made under the influence of David Allan's 'The Highland Dance' (1780; National Galleries of Scotland), but without the benefit of the more rigorous training in figure drawing and composition he was later to receive.
Other number
MFW 3
Description
Dimensions
height: 343mm
width: 489mm
width: 489mm
Materials & techniques note
Pencil and watercolour
Production
Person
Carse, Alexander, c.1770 - 1843 (Artist)
Allan, David, 1744 - 1796 (Artist)
Wilkie, David, 1785 - 1841 (Artist)
Allan, David, 1744 - 1796 (Artist)
Wilkie, David, 1785 - 1841 (Artist)
History and association
Object history note
Provenance: Collection of Rev. W.A. Johnston; by descent to his grand-daughter, Dorothy Johnston; sold through Christie's, London, 17 November 1981 (Lot 122); sold through Spink; collection of Martin Whiteley; by whom bequeathed to Eton College
Exhibited: 'A Genius for Watercolour', Christie’s, London, 6 to 24 January 2003, catalogue number 31
Exhibited: 'A Genius for Watercolour', Christie’s, London, 6 to 24 January 2003, catalogue number 31
Previous ownership
References
• Wilcox, T., A Genius for Watercolour; Watercolours from the Eton College Collection, Christie's exhibition catalogue, London, 2003 (p. 38), Catalogue number: 31
