John Fyfe

Artist John Singer Sargent (Florence, Italy, 1856 - 1925)

SitterSitter is John Fyfe (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1830 - 1906)

Date1902

Mediumoil on canvas

ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings

DimensionsOverall: Height: 148 cm, Width: 97.5 cm
Frame: Height: 185.5 cm, Width: 135.1 cm

AcquisitionPresented in 1902 by members of the Aberdeen Granite Trade.

CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDAG003874

Keywords

About MeThis is a dramatic example of the swaggering bravura of Sargent's painting technique. In the late 19th century Sargent found fame and fortune painting the nouveau riche of his day, who greatly admired the grand sweeps and elegant poses of his best work. Sargent almost certainly painted this portrait at his London studio but he may have visited Aberdeen, as he was a good friend of local artist Joseph Farquharson.

John Fyfe was born at 'Goodhope', Bucksburn in 1830. He owned granite quarries at Blackburn and Kemnay. From the Kemnay quarry came the stone for the Town House and Marischal College. He was probably the most influential granite quarrier of his generation and an immense presence in the Scottish industry. He married Barbara Stevenson in 1868 and had a family of eight daughters and two sons. He had built and lived in Beechgrove House which, until recently demolished, housed the BBC. He died in 1903.

More About Me

Collections Wall

John Fyfe owned a quarry from which the stone for two prominent Aberdeen buildings came. Can you guess which ones?