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Lot Essay
Murray devoted himself to painting in about 1875. He had previously worked for a mercantile firm for eleven years, taking classes in the evenings at the Glasgow School of Art. He became an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1881, an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1891, and a full member of the Royal Academy in 1905.
Murray found most of his early subjects in Scotland but from the mid-1880s the southern counties of England began to claim his attention and Constable became a major inspiration. Indeed, his Chantrey Bequest picture of 1903 was entitled In the Country of Constable. He also travelled frequently to the continent to paint the landscape of northern France.
Caw described Murray as 'gifted with a fine sense of colour, frank and unprejudiced vision, and genuine, if not deep, appreciation of the more brilliant aspects of Nature, these, with much dexterity of handling, are the qualities which distinguish Murray's work at its best.' (James L. Caw, Scottish Painting, 1975, p. 304).
Murray found most of his early subjects in Scotland but from the mid-1880s the southern counties of England began to claim his attention and Constable became a major inspiration. Indeed, his Chantrey Bequest picture of 1903 was entitled In the Country of Constable. He also travelled frequently to the continent to paint the landscape of northern France.
Caw described Murray as 'gifted with a fine sense of colour, frank and unprejudiced vision, and genuine, if not deep, appreciation of the more brilliant aspects of Nature, these, with much dexterity of handling, are the qualities which distinguish Murray's work at its best.' (James L. Caw, Scottish Painting, 1975, p. 304).