John MacLauchlan Milne

Sotheby's, Hopetoun House, 15 April 2002, lot 219;
Private Collection

Original canvas. The surface is in generally excellent original condition. Ultraviolet light reveals pigments which fluoresce that are the hand of the artist. Held under glass in a painted plaster frame; unexamined out of frame. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 6132 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present view of whitewashed crofter's cottages was almost certainly painted at the village of High Corrie on the island of Arran. It may depict Milne's own summer cottage, Seaview, which stood amid rocks and weather-beaten hawthorn trees that blossomed with white flowers in the summer and were watered by a fast-flowing burn from Goat Fell far above. Milne visited Arran almost every summer to paint and he and, for many years, his wife Elsie held an art school at their cottage for students visiting from Glasgow. There was a lively atmosphere enjoyed with likeminded visitors such as Robert McLlellan the playwright and poet who owned a neighbouring cottage. The ferry docked at the harbour of Corrie, which in former times had served the sandstone quarries of the island. Milne would climb the steep road from the harbour to the village of High Corrie where from the window of his cottage he could look out over the expanse of sea to the majestic peaks of Holy Isle. Beside the cottage, Milne converted the bothie into a studio and although the cottage offered modest comfort, it was an escape to a simpler form of life. Sheepskins covered the floor, paraffin lamps lit the rooms at night and Milne's own paintings decorated the walls. The ground was fertile enough to grow vegetables and there was a pub within walking distance where Milne enjoyed telling stories to the locals and sometimes paid his bill with a painting.