We present Hugh Buchanan’s Capital City, an exploration of the character of Edinburgh, viewed through the multiplicity of its capitals and columns. The Classical tradition of the city is present in the proportion and detail of so many of Edinburgh’s great buildings, but light, or the lack of it, defines the city’s character. Buchanan’s palette, the servant of light, is timeless: he rejoices in gloomy veils of time as well as in contemporary tungsten, neon, or clear daylight.
In my most recent exhibition at The Scottish Gallery, in 2017, I celebrated 250 years of Edinburgh’s New Town. In retrospect, I felt that there were two areas of Edinburgh’s heritage that I could have developed further. Firstly, the extraordinary variety and quality of the city’s capitals and columns and, secondly, the texture of the stone itself. This exhibition explores both those areas. Hugh Buchanan 2019
Click here to purchase a copy of the publication that accompanies the exhibition.
We filmed Hugh discussing his master watercolour techniques alongside ideas and themes within his exhibition, please click here to watch our short film.
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Signet Library Fragment View details
Hugh Buchanan
Signet Library Fragment
watercolourH:38cm W:28cmSoldTriglyphs and Metopes, Royal Scottish Academy I View detailsHugh Buchanan
Triglyphs and Metopes, Royal Scottish Academy I
watercolourH:51cm W:51cmSoldTriglyphs and Metopes, Royal Scottish Academy II View detailsHugh Buchanan
Triglyphs and Metopes, Royal Scottish Academy II
watercolourH:51cm W:51cmSoldGeorge Street, Capital I View detailsHugh Buchanan
George Street, Capital I
watercolourH:38cm W:38cmSoldGeorge Street, Capital II View detailsHugh Buchanan
George Street, Capital II
watercolourH:38cm W:38cmSoldStudy for 'Ionian White and Gold' View detailsHugh Buchanan
Study for 'Ionian White and Gold'
watercolourH:38cm W:28cmSold'Ionian White and Gold', Dundas House View detailsHugh Buchanan
'Ionian White and Gold', Dundas House
watercolourH:51cm W:51cmSoldStudy for St Andrew and St George View detailsHugh Buchanan
Study for St Andrew and St George
watercolourH:38cm W:28cmSoldSignet Library Capital I View details