ART LOVERS have the chance to get their hands on a rare oil painting depicting Glasgow’s industrial heartland as a number of city scenes go up for auction.
‘Factories in the Snow’ by acclaimed landscape artist Herbert Whone will go under the hammer in an online auction of Scottish Contemporary Art on Sunday 24th January.
The cityscape is considered to be one of the finest works by the painter, depicting the industrial blocks and smoke belching chimneys during the winter of 1973.
Works by the artist rarely come to auction and art experts at McTear’s estimate the 83cm by 102cm oil on board could fetch up to £8k.
Amongst the other Glasgow works in the auction will be an atmospheric river scene dating to the late 1940s/early 1950s, by William Norman Gaunt.
‘Boats on the Clyde’ features a number of vessels, – most likely the famed Clyde puffer – ploughing their way along the river towards the city.
The oil painting will feature in McTear’s Scottish Contemporary Art Auction with an estimate of £1,000 to £2,000.
Commenting on the auction, McTear’s managing director, Brian Clements, said: “Herbert Whone was a master of his art and captured some of the most dramatic and powerful scenes of Glasgow during the 1960s and 70s.
“‘Factories in the Snow’ is a remarkable piece and we are already seeing significant interest from potential buyers at home and overseas.
“Similarly, ‘Boats on the Clyde’ is a wonderfully atmospheric work. Although not a native Glaswegian, William Norman Gaunt captured the city and the Clyde in a manner which only the very finest Scottish artists have ever achieved.”
Other Glasgow paintings in the auction include a striking oil by Glasgow artist and historian, Edward Chisnall, entitled ‘Winter, 1983, Glasgow’, a colourful oil by Peter Foyle of Ashton Lane in the city’s west end and an Iain Carby oil showing the University of Glasgow.
Brian Clements continued: “With its long and rich history, impressive architecture and unique culture, many of the country’s most prestigious artists have chosen Glasgow as a location of choice in their works, with many McTear’s lots drawing interest from buyers across the globe.
“A few months ago the quintessentially Glasgow picture ‘Topping Out Day’ by Avril Paton was secured by a Florida private collector for £8,000 – a new auction record for the artist.”
