Ronald A. H. Craig – Still Life with Plant & Yellow Cloth

Ronald A. H. Craig (Scottish 1927–2013) - Still Life with Plant & Yellow Cloth

A vibrant late 20th-century oil on board by the Scottish artist Ronald A. H. Craig (1927–2013), depicting a richly coloured still life of fruit, vessels, textiles and a potted plant arranged before a brilliant yellow cloth. Signed RAHCRAIG at the lower right and retaining two original artist's labels to the reverse, including one giving the title, medium and an original price of £300.

The composition is dominated by strong areas of saturated colour. A large yellow cloth hangs vertically through the centre of the background, surrounded by deep cobalt blue and providing a luminous backdrop to a green glass bottle placed just right of centre. The bottle forms the principal upright element within the arrangement, while a spreading potted plant on the left and a smaller ceramic vessel on the right balance the composition across its width.

Across the foreground, Craig layers red, orange, blue and white cloths over the tabletop, creating a deliberately loose and energetic arrangement of overlapping forms. A bowl of apples occupies the centre, while further fruit is placed directly onto the surrounding fabric. The red cloth winds horizontally through the composition, visually linking the separate objects, while a knife placed diagonally across the lower right introduces a strong directional element and leads the eye outward across the foreground.

Craig's handling is broad and direct, with individual brushstrokes remaining clearly visible throughout. The apples, bottle and ceramics are built from simplified passages of colour rather than highly finished modelling, while dark blue and green outlines are used to define many of the objects. The plant is treated particularly freely, its curling leaves described through animated strokes of orange, green and red.

The painting has clear affinities with the continuing Scottish post-Impressionist and Colourist tradition, particularly in its emphasis on saturated colour, simplified form and the decorative relationship between objects and surrounding textiles. The contrast between the intense yellow background, deep blue setting, green bottle and flashes of red and orange gives the work an especially bold and cheerful character.

Ronald A. H. Craig was born in Perthshire in 1927 and studied at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, following National Service in the RAF. He subsequently became an art teacher and served as Art Master at Trinity College, Glenalmond from 1956 until his retirement in 1987. Craig exhibited with a number of major Scottish institutions, including the Royal Scottish Academy, Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour, Society of Scottish Artists and Royal Glasgow Institute. His work is also represented in public and corporate collections, including Perth & Kinross Council and NHS Tayside.

Although Craig is particularly associated with Perthshire landscape painting, still life formed another strand of his practice. Still Life with Plant & Yellow Cloth demonstrates a markedly decorative side of his work, exchanging the subdued winter landscapes for which he is often encountered on the secondary market for an unusually vivid arrangement centred on colour and form.

The reverse is particularly well documented. An original Craig label identifies the work by title as “Still Life with Plant & Yellow Cloth”, specifies the medium as oil and records an asking price of £300. The label also gives Craig's address at 6 Lennoch Circle, Comrie, Crieff, together with his telephone number. A second printed address label is also retained, while the reverse of the frame itself is marked with the artist's name.

The telephone numbering on the principal label provides some useful dating evidence. Its use of the 01764 dialling code indicates that this particular label dates from 1995 or later. This does not necessarily establish the precise date of execution, as the painting may have been labelled retrospectively, but confirms that the work remained in Craig's possession or studio stock during the later part of his career.

Presented in its substantial cream-painted period frame with a linen-effect inner section and narrow pale slip. The light framing provides an effective contrast to the painting's exceptionally strong blue, yellow, red and green palette.

A particularly appealing example of Craig's still-life painting, combining strong provenance from the artist's own labels with a confident composition and unusually bold colour. Its vibrant palette and broad handling distinguish it from the predominantly landscape subjects through which Craig is more commonly encountered.

Artist: Ronald A. H. Craig (Scottish 1927–2013)
Title: Still Life with Plant & Yellow Cloth
Date: Undated, probably late 20th century
Medium: Oil on board
Signed: Signed RAHCRAIG lower right
Unframed size: 26cm x 37cm
Framed size: 39cm x 49cm
Provenance: Two original artist's labels retained verso, including title and medium label recording an original price of £300; frame additionally marked with the artist's name
Condition: Good vintage condition overall, with minor age-related surface wear consistent with its age. The period frame displays some surface marks, scuffs and small areas of wear to the painted finish.