signed lower right
EXHIBITED:
Figure, Flowers and Landscape, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, 1989, cat.30
David McClure returned repeatedly to Sicily throughout his career, captivated by the brilliance of Mediterranean light and the timeless character of its fishing villages. Boats at Aspra belongs to this mature period, where observation is transformed through colour, rhythm, and expressive brushwork.
In the middle ground, three fishing boats rest on the shore, their dark hulls and tall masts creating a strong architectural framework against the clustered white and pinkwashed houses beyond. Rather than describing the scene in a literal way, McClure builds the composition 16 Boats at Aspra, c.1989 oil on canvas, 71 x 91.5 cm signed lower right through broad planes of colour and energetic brushstrokes. Rich reds, mauves, and ochres evoke the warmth of the evening light, while flashes of blue and white animate the boats and draw the eye across the canvas. The result is a painting that conveys not only a place, but the atmosphere, warmth and quiet vitality of a Mediterranean harbour.
Exhibited at The Scottish Gallery in the 1989 exhibition Figure, Flowers and Landscape, this important oil exemplifies McClure’s remarkable ability to balance bold design with the spontaneity and joy that characterise his finest work.
About David McClure
David McClure was one of the outstanding Scottish painters of the post-war generation. He emerged from Edinburgh College of Art in the early 1950s alongside a remarkable group of artists including James Cumming, William Baillie, John Houston, Elizabeth Blackadder and David Michie. Together, they helped shape what became known as the Edinburgh School: a generation defined by strong draughtsmanship, expressive colour and a renewed confidence in painting.
