He trained at Edinburgh School of Art and in Antwerp, where he became interested in painting naturalistic scenes of everyday life. Harvesting, Kirkcudbright, painted when Hornel was just 21, shows a woman digging potatoes with the rooftops of Kirkcudbright in the distance. Hornel grew up in Kirkcudbright and continued to live in the town until his death in 1933. In 1901 he bought Broughton House and added an impressive gallery in which to show his paintings. The house, owned by the National Trust for Scotland, is now a museum dedicated to the artistÂ’s life and work and this early painting makes an important addition to the collection.

Provenance

Private collector, Canada; McEwan Gallery