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James Watt is the pre-eminent Scottish maritime artist of the twentieth century and the River Clyde is his muse. We present this to compliment our current exhibition of his work to celebrate his 90th birthday, The Lost Clyde.


Born in Port Glasgow, James Watt studied at The Glasgow School of Art and has dedicated his life to recording the remarkable River Clyde and its industries. From charting the mid-twentieth century highs to the more recent lows, his work forms both a highly personal and irreplaceable historic archive of a river whose industries helped shape the modern world and personifies the notion of the artist as the ‘chronicler of change’.

Artists featured in this Curation: James Watt (1931–2022)
15 artworks

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Sandgrab
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Dumfries and Galloway Council

Sandgrab

Sandgrab 1969
James Watt (1931–2022)
Acrylic on canvas
H 70 x W 94.3 cm
Dumfries and Galloway Council

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Sandgrabs
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum

Sandgrabs

Sandgrabs c.1975
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 91 x W 122 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum

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Ship
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Glasgow Life Museums

Ship

Ship
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 35.5 x W 50.5 cm
Glasgow Life Museums

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Harbour Scene
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Harbour Scene

Harbour Scene
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 54 x W 90 cm
Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

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East India Extending
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum

East India Extending

East India Extending 1972
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 76 x W 102 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum

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‘Portway’, Victoria Harbour
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum

'Portway', Victoria Harbour

‘Portway’, Victoria Harbour c.1965
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 51 x W 127 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum

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Crinan Basin
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum

Crinan Basin

Crinan Basin c.1980
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 56 x W 76 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum

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Three Puffers, Greenock
© the artist's estate. Image credit: The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

Three Puffers, Greenock

Three Puffers, Greenock
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 40.7 x W 91.8 cm
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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Old Barge, Crinan Canal
© the artist's estate. Image credit: The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

Old Barge, Crinan Canal

Old Barge, Crinan Canal
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 46.2 x W 101.8 cm
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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Landscape
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Landscape

Landscape
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 39 x W 90 cm
Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

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Reaper, Anstruther II
© the artist's estate. Image credit: University of Strathclyde

Reaper, Anstruther II

Reaper, Anstruther II
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 100 x W 108.5 cm
University of Strathclyde

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Greenock
© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

Greenock

Greenock 1981
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 36 x W 51 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

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Victoria Harbour, Greenock
© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

Victoria Harbour, Greenock

Victoria Harbour, Greenock
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 56 x W 92 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

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Greenock
© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

Greenock

Greenock 1970–1980
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 90 x W 120.3 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

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East India Sunday
© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

East India Sunday

East India Sunday c.1965
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 40 x W 101 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

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JW_1_jpg
Image credit: The Watt Institution

"Greenock" by John Davidson (1857-1909)


Poem chosen by James Watt for Lost Clyde exhibition