ROBERT WEIR ALLAN, R.S.A., R.W.S., R.S.W.
Scottish, 1852-1942
"In from the North Sea: A Dutch Herring Fleet"
Oil on canvas, signed lower left "Robert W. Allan"
Provenance: Caelt Gallery (according to a label on the reverse); Private collection, London; Martyn Gregory, London, there illustrated in Martyn Gregory: Holland… a Source of Inspiration for British Art, 1981, cat. 26, no. 27; exhibited at TEFAF; acquired there by H. Rodes Sr.
34 1/8" H x 48 1/4" W [canvas]
44" H x 58" W x 2 5/8" D [frame]
A broad, wind-swept harbor scene unfolds beneath a pale, unsettled sky, where a fleet of Dutch herring boats lies crowded along the quay, their tall masts and furled sails rising rhythmically against the horizon. The shallow foreground is animated by figures working along the water’s edge—fishermen tending nets and gear, small craft nudging the pier—while choppy, green-grey water reflects the strain of an approaching or recently passed storm. Allan’s brushwork balances structure and atmosphere: the rigging and hulls are crisply articulated, yet the surface of sea and sky remains fluid, conveying movement, damp air, and the quiet urgency of shelter. The painting is housed in a period giltwood frame and signed lower left "Robert W. Allan" in his typical script.
The composition derives from a preparatory watercolor titled The Sea Grows Stormy (offered at Christie's in March of 2022 from the collection of Martyn Gregory) executed in 1888 during Allan’s trip to Holland with the Scottish painter Archibald David Reid (1844–1908), a journey that provided sustained material for Allan’s Dutch coastal subjects.
The handling of the scene places the work loosely between Barbizon naturalism and the emerging Tonalist sensibility that shaped late-19th-century British landscape and marine painting. From the Barbizon tradition, Allan adopts a commitment to direct observation and working subjects, here expressed in the unidealized portrayal of fishermen, vessels and the labor of the harbor together with a compositional emphasis on everyday rural and coastal life devoid of narrative or drama. At the same time, the painting anticipates Tonalist concerns through its restrained palette, muted harmonies of grey, green, and brown, and its prioritization of atmosphere over anecdote. The shallow tonal range and softly unified light allows sea, sky, and land to merge into a cohesive mood, lending the scene a quiet introspection despite its activity.
Similar landscapes were offered at Sotheby's, including his similar composition In November (The Scottish Colourists Gleneagles Hotel, Sale 5621, 31 August 2005, lot 931, achieved 10,600 GBP or around $ 19,000 USD at the prevailing conversion rate of 1.79). His marine painting of At the Boats, similarly large in scale to the present example with dimensions of 36" x 54", was offered at Sotheby's, London 5 September 2001 (lot 1189, achieved 7,800 GBP or approx. $ 11,500 USD at the prevailing conversion of 1.46).
The present painting is an unusually powerful example of Allan's work.
Robert Weir Allan (1851–1942)
Born in Glasgow on 11 November 1851 and initially trained outside of the fine arts, Robert Weir Allan received early instruction in lithography from his father, Robert Allan. His formal artistic education began largely through self-directed study before he traveled to Paris, there completing his training at the École des Beaux-Arts under Alexandre Cabanel while also studying at the Académie Julian.
By the late 19th century Allan had settled in London and became closely associated with the city’s exhibiting societies. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours and a member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours. He exhibited widely in Britain, including at the Royal Academy, participating in the Glasgow Exhibition while also showing regularly with London institutions and societies.
Allan maintained strong ties to continental Europe throughout his career. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris from the late 19th century until 1939 and was awarded medals at the Expositions Universelles of 1889 and 1900, there being classified hors concours. He worked extensively along the Dutch and French coast, especially in Honfleur and Dieppe, producing seascapes that reflect sustained engagement with working maritime life.
Works by Allan are held in public collections in the United Kingdom, including examples in Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool (Walker Art Gallery), and Manchester. In 1934 he painted a formal Portrait of Lloyd George. Allan died in 1942, leaving a body of work grounded in careful observation, technical discipline, and a long-standing commitment to marine and coastal subject matter.
Condition: Canvas has been glue relined; overall craquelure consistent with age; a few small touches of inpainting in the sky visible under UV inspection. Trace grime to the surface. Frame with joint separations in the corners, wear and inpainting to the gilding. The painting presents brilliantly.
ref. 512DHB09X
