James Watt is the pre-eminent Scottish maritime artist of the twentieth century and the River Clyde is his muse. We present this to compliment our current exhibition of his work to celebrate his 90th birthday, The Lost Clyde.
Born in Port Glasgow, James Watt studied at The Glasgow School of Art and has dedicated his life to recording the remarkable River Clyde and its industries. From charting the mid-twentieth century highs to the more recent lows, his work forms both a highly personal and irreplaceable historic archive of a river whose industries helped shape the modern world and personifies the notion of the artist as the ‘chronicler of change’.
Artists featured in this Curation:
James Watt (1931–2022)
15 artworks
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Dumfries and Galloway Council
Sandgrab
Sandgrab
1969
James Watt (1931–2022)
Acrylic on canvas
H 70 x W 94.3 cm
Dumfries and Galloway Council
James Watt (1931–2022)
Acrylic on canvas
H 70 x W 94.3 cm
Dumfries and Galloway Council
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum
Sandgrabs
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Glasgow Life Museums
Ship
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections
Harbour Scene
Harbour Scene
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 54 x W 90 cm
Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 54 x W 90 cm
Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum
East India Extending
East India Extending
1972
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 76 x W 102 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 76 x W 102 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum
'Portway', Victoria Harbour
‘Portway’, Victoria Harbour
c.1965
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 51 x W 127 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 51 x W 127 cm
Scottish Maritime Museum
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Scottish Maritime Museum
Crinan Basin
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
Three Puffers, Greenock
Three Puffers, Greenock
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 40.7 x W 91.8 cm
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 40.7 x W 91.8 cm
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
Old Barge, Crinan Canal
Old Barge, Crinan Canal
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 46.2 x W 101.8 cm
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 46.2 x W 101.8 cm
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections
Landscape
Landscape
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 39 x W 90 cm
Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 39 x W 90 cm
Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: University of Strathclyde
Reaper, Anstruther II
Reaper, Anstruther II
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 100 x W 108.5 cm
University of Strathclyde
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 100 x W 108.5 cm
University of Strathclyde
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
Greenock
Greenock
1981
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 36 x W 51 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 36 x W 51 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
Victoria Harbour, Greenock
Victoria Harbour, Greenock
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 56 x W 92 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 56 x W 92 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
Greenock
Greenock
1970–1980
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 90 x W 120.3 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 90 x W 120.3 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
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© the artist's estate. Image credit: McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
East India Sunday
East India Sunday
c.1965
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 40 x W 101 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
James Watt (1931–2022)
Oil on canvas
H 40 x W 101 cm
McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council
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Image credit: The Watt Institution
"Greenock" by John Davidson (1857-1909)
Poem chosen by James Watt for Lost Clyde exhibition
