A well-balanced show inviting reinterpretations of familiar faces

A rather austere formal photograph, taken in 1949, of staff and students at Edinburgh College of Art reveals faces, some of whom were already established artists, such as the head of drawing and painting WG Gillies and the lecturers Sir Robin Philipson and Penelope Beaton. Others, clearly students, such as David Michie and David McClure, were still to make a name for themselves. All of these, as well as 20 or so others, celebrate the relationship between The Scottish Gallery, the art college and the artists.

Much has been written about these artists over the years — Elizabeth Blackadder, Anne Redpath, Gillies, Sir William MacTaggart to name a few — there seems little to add. But all art, through historical and sociological change, is subject to reinterpretation.

Last year a monograph by Elizabeth Cumming appeared on Philipson, who later became Edinburgh College of Art’s principal. I haven’t read her book but I suspect her reassessment is fair and fresh. From the evidence here one theme that deserves engagement is Philipson’s attitude to, or at least his depiction of, women. He clearly found the subject exciting and a modern analysis would have much to say on his latent and not so latent feelings of sexuality. Many of these images owe inspiration to the brothel imagery of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Edgar Degas, not least the ambiguity with which he depicts the subject matter — decorative, colourful, garish even, with hints of voyeurism and mystery.

Philipson’s work makes some of the images here seem rather tame, although there’s no doubting the energetic palette of McClure and Michie, for example. The latter’s mother, Anne Redpath, also favoured colour — a defining characteristic of the Edinburgh school. Redpath’s Anemones, painted around 1962, is a tour de force in her style of thick, vivid, oil paint.

There are lesser-known voices here such as Katie Horsman (1911-98). Her watercolour Fife Harbour Scene and her gouache and watercolour Skye Church made in the 1940s, show how diverse and adaptable she could be.

Although there are no surprises, this show delivers in terms of quality, presentation and balance.

Until January 26