* JOHN GUTHRIE SPENCE SMITH RSA (SCOTTISH 1880 - 1951),
BALLACHULISH QUARRY
oil on canvas board, signed and titled; dated 1921 verso
32cm x 42cm
Framed.
Label verso: Bourne Fine Art, 4 Dundas Street, Edinburgh (now The Fine Art Society).
Provenance: This is the smaller version (likely the original version) of the larger "Ballachulish Quarries" held in The Fleming Collection (London) and one of the 43 examples of Spence Smith's work held in UK public collections.
Note: John Guthrie Spence Smith was born in Perth, Scotland in 1880. He was the youngest son of local Draper - Joseph Smith and his wife Grace Farquharson. A childhood illness caused him to lose his hearing and his speech. Spence Smith's work was mainly executed in his local area of Perthshire and in Angus, Fife and the Lothians. He painted in watercolour but mainly in oils, often in bold outline and with a collage like application of rich paint - which is clearly represented in this example. He undertook only two overseas travels. On both occasions he went to northern France, in the company of his mother. Spence Smith had settled in Edinburgh by 1909 and was a co-founder of the Edinburgh Group which centred around Eric Robertson and his wife Ceclie Walton. He was elected an Associate of the RSA in 1930 and a full Academician in 1939.

Condition Report
Very good overall condition, no visible signs of damage or known issues.