James Paterson (painter)

James Paterson ( born August 21, 1854 in Glasgow, † January 25, 1932 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish painter of the late Impressionism and important member of the Glasgow Boys, a group of artists from the 19th and early 20th century.

Life and work

James Paterson was the son of the factory owner Andrew Paterson (1819-1907) and Margaret Hunter ( 1817-1901 ). At his birth the family lived in Blantyre, but soon moved to Glasgow. Paterson graduated from the Western Academy in Glasgow with William York MacGregor ( 1855-1923 ). Subsequently, both attended the Glasgow School of Art, where they were instructed by Robert Greenless ( 1829-1896 ). Paterson also studied with A.D. Robertson ( 1807-86 ), a then well-known watercolor painter. 1877, Paterson and MacGregor recessed in St Andrews, Stonehaven and Nairn in the plein-air painting. Paterson next studied in Paris at Jacquesson de la Chevreuse and later with Jean -Paul Laurens. The fellow painter James Guthrie and Edward Arthur Walton held at this time with Joseph Crawhall also in Paris.

After completing his studies in Paris Paterson returned to Glasgow and met regularly in the studio of MacGregor with Walton, Crawhall, George Henry, John Lavery and other artists. There they exchanged models and materials, and discussed the new ideas of young French painters such as Jules Bastien- Lepage, whose plein- air painting fascinated. This group formed the core of the Glasgow Boys, with MacGregor was the founder and mentor of the Artists' Association since he was a little older than the other participants and also financially secure. Only James Gutherie and Arthur Melville did not participate in these meetings, but discussed intensely committed to the summer Malexkursionen with fellow artists.

1879 Paterson was the first time in Moniaive in the county of Dumfriesshire and painted landscapes, which were influenced by the style of French artist Jean -Baptiste Camille Corot. In 1884 he married Eliza Grier Ferguson, daughter of William Ferguson and Janet Cooper, and finally settled down with her in Moniaive. Paterson incidentally also developed a good amateur photographer - his father was one of the first photographers in Scotland - and used the recordings primarily as models for his paintings.

In 1885 he was admitted to the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Water Colour. 1906 Paterson moved to Edinburgh, where he lived until his death. In 1908 he was elected to the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Scottish Academy in 1910. From 1910 to 1924 he served the Academy as a librarian. 1922 Paterson eventually became president of the Academy. After his death in 1932 directed his granddaughter Anne Paterson Wallace in Moniaive in his memory as a museum. The museum was closed in 2003 and donated to the inventory of the library of the University of Glasgow.