Stanley Cursiter

     Searching the Bridgeman Art Library the other day for pictures of Edinburgh, I came up with one or two by the Scottish painter Stanley Cursiter whose work interests me. He was born in Orkney in 1887, he trained in Edinburgh and spent much of his working life here, becoming Keeper of the National Galleries of Scotland, and King's (and then Queen's) Painter and Limner for Scotland until his death in 1976.

Here is his "Reclining lady in white", showing him in the same camp as the early work of the Colourists Peploe (about whom he wrote a memoir) and Fergusson. It was this painting which was chosen for the cover of a major exhibition of Scottish art from the Flemings collection which was staged a few years ago, and I wish I could give you a better view of the bold brushwork and the restricted though subtly varied palette.

He said of another Colourist, Cadell, "...for him nature in her brightest dress was the reflection of his own joy in the paints of his palette", which I think says a lot about Cursiter as well as his subject.

The knitters amongst us will surely admire this, "The Fair Isle Jumper".

This is "Glass of milk", and I love its simplicity.

"Tea Room". Could this have been the famous Jenners tea room, overlooking Princes Street, or McVittie's perhaps?

Here's a location familiar to Edinburgh concert-goers: the Usher Hall.

I haven't shown his Orcadian seascapes or his futurist works here, but it seems his range is wider than the pictures I have included would suggest. I've been trying to find a book about Cursiter but have had no success so far, though I see from this article that there's a retrospective exhibition on in Orkney just now and a related book should be appearing. If anyone knows any more, I'd be delighted to hear from them.

Comments

[Era]

What amazing perspective on that piece of Usher Hall! From that painting it's not hard for me to believe that he also did futurist works.

[tara]

I love these, especially the portraits of the women. Thanks for sharing, I've never heard of this artist.

[Rhys]

Hi there! I've never heard of this painter before but I think that glass of milk is in another league and the spoons!

[Peter the flautist]

There are a number of books on art by Stanley Cursiter, for example "Scottish Art to the Close of the Nineteenth Century. [With reproductions.]" George G. Harrap & Co.: London, 1949. and "Peploe. An intimate memoir of an artist and of his work. [With reproductions.]" Thomas Nelson & Sons: London, 1947.
However I have not yet succeeded with today's challenge which is to find a book by someone else about Cursiter!

DP

[Peter the flautist]

Dark Puss says maybe you could track this one down in the National Library of Scotland (since they are likely to have a copy as a copyright deposit library): Cursiter, Stanley. Looking Back: a Book of Reminiscences. Edinburgh: privately printed, 1974; Mackenzie, Jill C.

I am guessing that it is about Cursiter but of course it could be a collection of his reminiscences about other artists. Anyway it's the closest I could get to the elusive prize today. 2/2 failures - bring 'em on, I ain't givn up so easy!

[Peter the flautist]

Groan (say Cornflower's other readers) it's me again. The book "Looking Back: a Book of Reminiscences" is an autobiography!

Dark Puss (I promise no more posting today)

[Danielle]

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the painter, but his work is lovely!

When visiting the Cursiter exhibition (July 2007) I picked up a leaflet with Orkney Museum & Heritage logo on it: Coming Soon "Stanley Cursiter - a life of the artist" by Pam Beasant with additional essays from distinguished contributors and a preface by Richard Calvocoressi ... £20 plus p+p, paperback, 210 x 275 mm, colour throughout. [No other details given.] It states: If you would like to reserve a copy in advance give details [name etc, email] to Orkney Museum Shop.
The appear to be no references on the internet but here is the Museum website: www.orkney.org/museums