The Scuir of Eigg

D.Y. Cameron was a successful painter and a very influential etcher. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art before joining life classes at the Royal Scottish Academy. His work was acclaimed in Edinburgh, London, Berlin and Munich. During the First World War, Cameron was appointed official war artist to the Canadian government and in 1933 was made the King's Painter in Scotland. Cameron was highly sought after by collectors until the Great Crash of 1929 brought a collapse in prices for prints in general. Despite his excellence as a printmaker, his work still remains underrated both in art historical and market terms.

Strong tonal contrasts characterise his prints and his stark and dramatic paintings, which are mainly landscapes and cityscapes. His prints often feature areas of great darkness, offset by highlights. Cameron’s etchings are notable for their use of drypoint, a skill that he had mastered over his years of production. This is particularly evident in his studies of church interiors and Scottish landscapes, as here.

Indeed, The Scuir of Eigg, is a fine example of Cameron’s strengths in imbuing strong emotions and drama into his landscapes. His expressive handling of the sky draws attention to the glory of the peak in the centre of the composition. The intense chiaroscuro light is rather romantic in its nature, while the variance in line and block shadows verges on expressionism.The combination of the contrasting light and line creates a thoroughly sublime, romantic landscape. The landmark which inspired it, properly the Sgurr of Eig or An Sgurr in Gaelic, is a gigantic block of volcanic rock on the Hebridean island of Eigg and one of the most dramatic of Scotland's lower hills. 'Volcanic' is the operative word: set against Cameron's sky, it looks as if it is positively erupting. 

Sources:

Arthur M. Hind, The Etchings of D.Y. Cameron (London; Halton and Truscott Smith, 1924)

National Galleries Scotland, https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/sir-david-young-cameron

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Young_Cameron

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art    December 2017