Artwork
A Study for 'Duncan Gray' (NG 1720)
A Study for 'Duncan Gray' (NG 1720) is an oil painting by David Wilkie. It dates from 1823 and is held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland.
About this work
Overview
David Wilkie's 'A Study for 'Duncan Gray'' is an oil painting created around 1823. It is a preparatory work for a larger narrative composition.
Subject & Meaning
The study depicts a group of people in a dimly lit room with a fireplace and table. A woman in white sits on the left, while a man in a red jacket sits on the right, suggesting a scene of quiet interaction.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil paint, the work features visible brushstrokes and texture, with a muted palette dominated by earthy tones. The use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume, drawing the viewer into the intimate scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir David Wilkie (18 November 1785 – 1 June 1841) was a Scottish painter, especially known for his genre scenes.
The Highland Family
Napoleon and Pope Pius VII at Fontainebleau in 1813
Self-Portrait
The blind violinist
Portrait of Daniel O'Connell as Governor of the National Bank
Portrait of the Artist's Brother, Captain James Wilkie (1784 - 1824)
The Irish Whiskey Still
The Artist's Sister, Helen Hunter, née Wilkie (1793–1870)
A Portrait Study of a Lady and Child in an Interior
A Portrait Study of Two Children in a Landscape (Reverse: Study of a Young Man in an Interior)
The Bride at her Toilet on the Day of her Wedding
'Dans cette aimable solitude...'
A Portrait Study of Three Ladies and a Boy in Highland Dress in an Interior
The Rivals
A Portrait Study of a Lady and a Child in an Interior
Burns and his Highland Mary
The Refusal
Portrait of a Girl