His first love was always the Scottish Highlands.
Joseph Farquharson RA (Royal Academy of Arts) was a Scottish painter, appreciated for his snowy landscapes with sheep, often set in morning or late afternoon light. His first love was always the Scottish Highlands, and he spent much of his time there, especially in the Cairngorms.
Joseph Farquharson is one of the most popular Scottish artists of his time. Born in Edinburgh in 1846, he studied at the Trustees’ Academy under Robert Scott Lauder and James Drummond.
He later studied in London, Paris, and Florence. His three years in Paris studying in the studio of Carolus-Duran were pivotal. He formed a valuable friendship with John Singer Sargent, who was a fellow student. He travelled extensively in Europe, including Switzerland, Norway, Italy, and Spain. These trips had a profound effect on his creative work.
Travels to Egypt between 1885 and 1893 offered Joseph Farquharson a new perspective that is seen in his painting, “Market on the Nile”, held at the Manchester Art Gallery. But he will always be remembered for his poignant snow scenes of Aberdeenshire. He became known as “‘Frozen Mutton’ Farquharson” and “The Painting Laird.”
He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1900 and an Academician in 1915. In his later years, he lived at Finzean, in Aberdeenshire, where he died in 1935. His work is represented in many public collections in Scotland and elsewhere, including the National Gallery of Scotland, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and the Tate Gallery.
Farquharson’s paintings are characterized by a certain tranquility and serenity, which is perhaps why they are so popular.
He offers a glimpse into a world that is calm and orderly, in contrast to the chaos of the modern world.
