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Sir Thomas Broun Smith (1915–1988)

© the artist. Image credit: University of Edinburgh

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Half-length portrait, the artist adopts a high viewpoint and places his sitter four square on the canvas. The sitter has a moustache and wears a white tie. The poppy red and electric blue of the academic robes, as brilliant as dyed Indian silks, jump against the rust red background to make this the most vibrant of the portraits in the collection. A stridency of tone, and a vigorous application of brushstroke, remind the onlooker of van Gogh and, the pose, of Cézanne.

The portrait is as hot as a coal fire and it vivdly catches the kindly, humourous and quizzical personality of the sitter. The body fills out the canvas, and the crossed hands, with elbows pushing against the frame, create an impression of alertness and energy.

University of Edinburgh

George Square

Title

Sir Thomas Broun Smith (1915–1988)

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 74.5 x W 61.5 cm

Accession number

EU0098

Work type

Painting

Inscription description

T. A. Cockburn

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University of Edinburgh

George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland

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