Emma Fordyce MacRae

Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Fishermen's Houses (Cape Ann)

Exhibited

"Emma Fordyce MacRae Solo Exhibition," Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, New York, November 24-December 5, 1936, no. 10.
"Solo Exhibition," Richards Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts, April 15-May 4, 1935, no 10.
"Exhibition of Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae," Corona Mundi International Art Center of Roerich Museum, New York, New York, February 7-March 22, 1930, no. 24
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Presidential Library, Washington D.C., September 1951.

Literature

Spartanburg Journal, Spartanburg, September 7, 1951 (illustrated).

Note

The present work shows how much structure, and composition played an important role in Emma Fordyce MacRae's paintings. Here, she reduces the coastal environment to basic geometric shapes (cubes). The foreground path introduces a strong diagonal line, which mirrors the ledge of the harbor in which elongated boats are anchored, thus creating a series of parallel diagonal lines repeating themselves until the horizon is carved out. Interestingly, and maybe stubbornly so, MacRae chooses not to depict the harbor in its entirety and instead faces inland - a highly unusual move at the time, which proves MacRae's unusual eye, and interest in mundane, quotidian details overlooked by other artists of the colony.

Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.

Provenance

The Artist.

The Estate of the Artist.

By descent in the family of the Artist.

Private Collection, United Kingdom.