'Flower' power... Peploe art blossoms at Bonhams' $4.9m Scottish Colourist sale
Last night's sale (August 31) of major Colourist paintings and works by other Scottish artists at Bonhams in Edinburgh, Scotland, made an astonishing total of £3m ($4,887,930).

Among the highlights was 'Flowers and Fruit' by Samuel Peploe which sold for £512,800 ($835,510).


'Flowers and Fruit' by Samuel Peploe sold for £512,800

Meanwhile, 'The Artist's Drawing Room' by Francis Cadell made £400,800. This makes it the second highest Cadell to be sold at auction.

Other star lots included John Fergusson's 'At the Milliner's Paris' which was sold for £222,000. In all, seven of his paintings made over £100,000 each.

Edinburgh born Fergusson was the most travelled of the four Scottish Colourists (the other three being Peploe, Cadell and Hunter) and lived in France for long spells before 1914 and between the two world wars. 

Largely self taught, he trained for a while as a naval surgeon before turning to painting, his work reflects a wide range of influences from Manet and Monet to Matisse and Whistler.

Considered the most stylistically adventurous of the Colourists, his work now commands high prices as demonstrated by this sale.

"This is an amazing result," said Bonhams Managing Director in Scotland, Miranda Grant.


John Fergusson's 'At the Milliner's Paris' was sold for £222,000

"Bonhams is the only international auction house to hold sales of Scottish art in Scotland. We believe that our distinct Scottish identity supported by our international reach is good for sellers and buyers alike and this evening's sale has justified our confidence."

"We had an exceptional selection of pictures for this sale," agreed Bonhams Head of Pictures in Scotland, Chris Brickley.

"I am not surprised that bidding was so competitive. This was an excellent opportunity to acquire works of the highest quality by some of the biggest names in Scottish art."

After the promising results of this sale, there will undoubtedly be further appearances by Scotland's Colourists in the future auction markets - watch this space for upcoming news.

 

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