The Ladies’ Golf Championship at Gullane, 1897

Description

A Life Association of Scotland sepia calendar print by James Michael Brown entitled The Ladies’ Golf Championship at Gullane, 1897. It depicts Miss Dod driving, surrounded by a large gallery most of whom were competitors.

Measures overall 18 1/2 x 23 inches, framed and glazed, the image is surrounded by the Life Association calendar mount with months for 1898 and associated financial details.

James Michael Brown (1853-1947) was an accomplished Scottish watercolourist who is justly famous for his golfing scenes, scenes he actually found uninspiring. But he was a fine artist and his 26 works for the Life Association of Scotland portray not only Lloyd George , the former Prime Minister at Walton Heath, but also a host of famous golfing personalities like Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, James Braid and JH Taylor to name but a few. A keen golfer, he was a founder member of Mortonhall GC, Edinburgh in 1892 which brought him into contact with fellow member Dr J Turnbull Smith, the manager of the Life Association of Scotland. It is assumed that Turnbull Smith persuaded Brown to paint an annual picture for his company’s calendar, from 1892-1916. Painted mostly in grisaille Brown’s effortless style was so accurate that all his figures are instantly recognisable and there was originally a key to each work.