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Archibald Russell Watson Allan
Plough Horses and Ploughman - Scottish 40s Impressionist equine art oil painting

Circa 1948

$5,519.33
£4,000
€4,701.63
CA$7,506.67
A$8,411.18
CHF 4,378.34
MX$102,897.91
NOK 55,574.95
SEK 52,489.87
DKK 35,098.64
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About the Item

This beautiful Scottish Impressionist 1940's oil painting is by noted animal artist Archibald Russell Watson Allan or Archie Allan as he was also known. Painted circa 1948, the composition is one of Allan's favourties; ploughing horses masses against a background of sky and field, with a ploughman attending to their harness. These three huge horses, white, brown and black are patiently stood with a yoke around their necks and eye shields on and the plough behind them. They are massive animals, their size emphasised by the low vantage point and vivid blue sky behind them. The Impressionistic brushwork on the field as well as horses and sky is superb. Allan has painted several paintings of plough horses but this one is a particularly fine example, with the stillness of these three powerful horses centre stage as well as the dwarfed ploughman and all set against the blue sky and with such fantastic brushwork. They don't come much better than this. Signed lower right. Provenance. Scottish estate. Condition. Oil on canvas, 34 inches by 24 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in a gilt frame, 40 inches by 30 inches, in good condition. Archibald Russell Watson Allan (1878 - 1959) was born in Glasgow and was educated at the Collegiate School in Glasgow and the Greenock Academy. He began his studies at the Glasgow School of Fine Art under the portrait painter John Spiers, then moved to study in Paris at Atelier Colarossi and Académie Julian. Allan was a member of Glasgow Art Club and showed extensively with Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts and RSA. The Glasgow and Paisley Corporations bought examples of his work. Fourteen of his paintings are held in UK public collections. After studying in Paris, he returned to Scotland and made his home in Stirling. It was there that one of his largest canvases, a painting of three horses titled “The Rebel”, was presented by a donor to the Smith Institute. Archie Allan, as he was known to his friends, found that the outdoor life of the landscape painter appealed to him most, and the West Highlands were an unfailing source of inspiration to him. His love of gardening provided him with motives for his use of pastel, a medium in which he excelled. His studies of animals were a feature of his work and he is remembered latterly by his heroic canvases of horses ploughing or massed against a background of fields and sky. Allan died on 24th May 1959 at age 81. Allan was elected A.R.S.A. in 1931 and R.S.A. in 1937.
  • Creator:
    Archibald Russell Watson Allan
  • Creation Year:
    Circa 1948
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 40 in (101.6 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU853116675792

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