MACGEORGE, William Stewart (1861 - 1931)

William Stewart MacGeorge was born in Castle Douglas. He studied at Edinburgh School of Art alongside E. A. Hornel with whom he became friends. Upon graduating the pair, along with William Walls and William Burn-Murdoch spent a year studying in Antwerp. Of a more conservative dispostition than Hornel and more willing to submit to the regime's in both Edinburgh and Antwerp MacGeorge enjoyed more success as a student than his friend, winning several prizes. Their personality differences were to eventually lead to conflict from which they were never reconciled but during their years of friendship Hornel had a significant impact on MacGeorge. As a student MacGeorge had favoured more sombre tones but increasingly the influence of Hornel's bright colours and rich impasto became evident in his work of the 1890s. Like Hornel, MacGeorge often depicted scenes of young girls in woodland but he never submitted wholly to the decorative which Hornel pursued, prefering instead to strive after naturalistic representation and atmospheric effect. Dappled sunlight became a familiar characteristic in his work. Returning to Scotland from Antwerp, MacGeorge divided his time between Edinburgh and Kirkcudbright where he occassionally shared a studio with David Gauld. He was one of the artists involved in forming the Kirkcudbright Fine Art Association in 1886.