John Atkinson Grimshaw

Edmund J. McCormick, c.1977;
His sale, Sotheby's New York, 28 February 1990, lot 158;
Christopher Wood Gallery, London;
Private collection

STRUCTURE The board is sound. some superficial frame abrasions to the extreme top edge. In generally good condition, ready to hang. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT There is a small fleck to the masts lower left, and covered with a thick opaque varnish. FRAME In a reeded gilt frame.
"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."

Grimshaw began his career painting Pre-Raphaelite images of ladies in historical costume which harked back to a medieval, and occasionally a classical, idyll. However, by 1879 when he painted On the Clyde, he had abandoned his attempts to evoke the past and embraced the modernism of his own age. He found his subjects amid the industrial clamor of the great cities of Britain, and created pictures that we now regard as nostalgic, but were wholly contemporary. Although he painted the glory of the new age in which he lived, he eschewed the dirtiness and deprivation of industrial towns. Here, a solitary figure leans on the bridge and looks out on the great artery of Scotland’s industry, absorbed in the view of the steamers and sailing vessels veiled in evening mist. It is lyrical and romantic and Grimshaw has beautifully captured the atmosphere of the chill, damp air illuminated by the glow of the moon’s orb, which reminds us that nature is mightier than all of man’s industry and culture.

A clue to the possible location of the present view here is the steeple on the left side which resembles the Merchant’s Steeple at Broomielaw in Glasgow. At Broomielaw wharf many steamships were moored, including the Windsor Castle, Balmoral, Undine, Vesta, Eagle, Guinevere and Carrick Castle.