John McDougal

Sold by Big Sky Fine Art; this original painting by John McDougal dated 1922.<br> The watercolour is presented and supplied in a sympathetic contemporary frame (which is shown in these photographs), mounted using conservation materials whilst retaining the original backboard and behind glass.<br> This antique painting is in very good condition, commensurate with its age. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display.<br> The watercolour is signed and dated 1922 lower right.<br> <br> John McDougal was born in Edgehill, Liverpool in April 1851. At the age of 28 he gave up his job in a cotton merchant’s officer to become a professional artist on the advice of Mr W B Caine, a prominent Liverpool figure. McDougal went on to become a highly acclaimed artist, who worked in both oils and watercolour. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy, Suffolk Street, the New Water Colour Society and other prestigious institutions. He was renowned for his marine scenes, but he also painted pastoral scenes, places and mountain scenery. McDougal painted widely in Wales, Devon and Cornwall, but he also travelled abroad and painted scenes in Switzerland, France and Italy. In 1898 he moved his home from Liverpool to Min-y-don Cemaes, near Amlwch in Anglesey.<br> <br> The painting featured here is Wylfa Head, which features in many of McDougal’s paintings and lies near Cemaes in northern Anglesey. It is part of the Anglesey coastal path. The reason that this painting was produced is historically very interesting and unique! McDougal painted this picture in preparation for the watercolour miniature that he was requested to paint for a project known as the Queen Mary Dolls’ House. This amazing miniature house, designed as a grand Edwardian townhouse, contains 1,000 miniature objects created by the leading artists and craftsmen of the early twentieth century. It was presented to Queen Mary in 1924 and then shown in the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, where it was displayed for seven months and was seen by more than 1.5 million visitors. In July 1925 the Queen Mary Dolls’ House was moved to Windsor Castle, where it remains to this day as part of the Royal Collection. McDougal’s tiny watercolour painting for the Doll’s House project was entitled “A Sunlit Sea”. It was almost identical to the painting featured here, except that it was just one and a half inches by one inch. The King’s Library representatives mounted the tiny painting on cards two and a quarter inches by one and a quarter inch. McDougal was invited by the Queen to view the Doll’s House at the Palace of Arts in the Exhibition. Fortunately, the painting offered here is full size and will enhance any room!<br> <br> These notes were compiled in conjunction with the family of the artist, to whom we are most grateful.