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The Black Coat by Dorothy Johnstone
The Black Coat
The Black Coat by Dorothy Johnstone
The Black Coat by Dorothy Johnstone

The Black Coat

Artist (Edinburgh, Scotland, 1892 - 1980)
Sitter (Edinburgh, Scotland, 1898 - 1963)
Date1920
Mediumwatercolour on paper
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsSight Size: Height: 35.5 cm, Width: 23.5 cm
Frame: Height: 55.5 cm, Width: 42 cm
AcquisitionPurchased in 1983 with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions.
Copyright© Permission by courtesy of Dr D A Sutherland and Lady J F Sutherland (2002)
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG000689
About MeThe figure cuts a dash dressed in clothes typical of the 1920s. The model was Dorothy Johnstone's friend and fellow artist Anne Finlay. The two became acquainted at Edinburgh College of Art and Finlay appears in several of Johnstone's paintings of the period.

It was, and still is, common practice for young artists to models for one another. This is done partly out of economic necessity but it allows the artist much more freedom to experiment than if working on a commissioned portrait.
More About Me

Don't you think that this coat is still fashionable, compared to other items from history. Do you ever wonder what will stand the test of time and what will not?