A collection of works by a famed Angus artist of the Victorian era are expected to star at an Edinburgh auction later this month.
Forfar-born James Herald was widely acclaimed for his watercolour and pastel work – much of it depicting his home county.
But the shoemaker’s son shunned the limelight and adulation of audiences in London’s major galleries.
Angus Council collections hold many of his pieces and he was celebrated in the first 2022 exhibition at the Meffan gallery in his home town.
And now his fans will have a chance to snap up a selection of paintings when they are offered at Bonhams Scottish art sale in Edinburgh.
They include a watercolour said to depict the visit of Wild West showman Buffalo Bill to Arbroath in 1904.
Some of the paintings could fetch as much as £8,000.
Talent evident from teenage years
Herald was born in 1859 and was an Angus man through and through.
He spent much of his life in Arbroath, with sojourns in Edinburgh and London.
And the people and places of north east Scotland became his muses.
That’s evident in the selection going under the hammer on May 18.
Herald painted mainly in watercolours and pastels, having developed his talent doing caricatures of customers in his father’s Forfar shop.
He enjoyed considerable financial success early in his career.
But after his return to Arbroath from London in 1901, Herald became increasingly reclusive.
So for the rest of his life he was happy to scrape a living from his art, often giving away paintings or exchanging them for drink or meals.
Wide acclaim
However, his lack of interest in money didn’t prevent him from enjoying critical success, including an acclaimed one man show in London in 1910.
Two of the works were bought and presented to the British Museum with a third going to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
May Matthews, Bonhams Head of Scottish Art, said: “Herald is a fascinating character and a much-underrated artist.
“His lack of financial ambition undoubtedly hindered a wider appreciation of his talents.
“But as the works in the sale show, he had a wonderful touch and an almost mystical connection with the people and townscapes of Angus, and especially Arbroath.”
The Bonhams sale also includes works by Mearns artist Joan Eardley and Fifer Jack Vettriano.
His piece, between Darkness and Dawn, is estimated to reach between £50,000 and £70,000.
Under the hammer
Herald highlights in the sale include:
A Street Fair. Painted in 1906, this lively scene is a great example of Herald’s style. Estimate: £6,000-8,000
After the Service, Arbroath. Estimate: £1,000-1,500
Arbroath Harbour, Dawn. Estimate: £2,000-3,000.
And the intriguing Travelling Show.
However, it has been argued that these pictures depict a rival showman, who called himself ‘Buff Bill’. Estimate: £800-1,200.
