Scottish Landscape with Sheep Grazing c.1901
oil on canvas
signed lower left: H Heysen
55.5 x 77cm (71 x 92cm framed)
Estimate $5,000 - $8,000
Private collection, Sydney
We are grateful to Allan Campbell, Curator at The Cedars, The Estate of the Artist Hans Heysen, for confirming attribution to Heysen for this painting. In addition to his following comments:
I certainly recognise this as one of Heysen's early works painted in Scotland in either of two periods that he spent based in the West Wemyss district there, September/October 1901 or May 1902. It is very reminiscent of the work of the Scottish artist Peter Graham (1836-1931) who was greatly admired by the young Hans Heysen.
Hans had been introduced to Graham's work at age 15 on a family visit to the Adelaide Gallery and was captivated by the artist's capture of light gleaming through the Scottish mist. On both occasions of the holiday breaks from his Academy studies in Paris he was to spend some months in the Scottish Lowlands. I am familiar with some of these early works still in the possession of members of the Heysen Family and am always struck by the obvious similarity to the landscapes of Peter Graham.
As to the signature, this was to vary noticeably according to the time frame and locality during his student years but I would certainly endorse that this is an authentic signature.
© Hans Heysen/Copyright Agency, 2026
The Collector's Auction
AUCTION
Sale: LJ8824
2:00pm - 8 September 2026
36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra
VIEWING
Fri 4 – Sun 6 September, 11am - 5pm
The Bond, 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra
CONTACT
Madeleine Mackenzie
sydney@leonardjoel.com.au
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