Fiacre in Spanish Street (oil on panel)

Travel was crucial to Fergusson's early artistic development and in 1901 he spent time in Spain. This panel is painted on both sides (see 1992.324). It portrays a horse-drawn carriage (fiacre) in a subdued colour range. The choice of location was inspired by the earlier travels of Arthur Melville (1855-1904). Very few works survive from Fergusson's Spanish trip. Typically, as here, they show an interest in exploring tonal values and a broad handling of paint that suggests the influence of the Spanish painter Velazquez. His reputation was enjoying a revival following the publication of a monograph on him in 1895. On his death in 1961 Fergusson left the largest collection of his works in existence to his partner, Margaret Morris (1891-1980). In 1963 she established the JD Fergusson Art Foundation, who subsequently gifted the entire collection, archive and copyright to Perth and Kinross District Council in November 1991.