The Scottish figurative painter John Bellany has died at the age of 71. An announcement on the artist’s official website states: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a true Scottish giant.
‘At seventeen minutes past seven on the evening of Wednesday 28 August, John passed away, in his studio, surrounded by his family. He was clutching a paintbrush in his hand as he took his final breath. His passion was life and he painted as if each day was his last.’
Commenting on the news of his death, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond said: “We are extremely sad to hear of his death but his art will remain an inspiration to artists long into the future.” He described Bellany as “one of Scotland’s finest artists.”
Born in the fishing town of Port Seton, East Lothian, Bellany first came to prominence in 1964 when, while still a student at Edinburgh College of Art, he and fellow student Sandy Moffat hung canvases of their work on the railings outside the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. The young artists were protesting about the lack of opportunities for exhibiting.
Last year, Bellany had a major retrospective of his work at the Scottish National Gallery. He was awarded the CBE in 1994.
Religious upbringing
Bellany’s figurative painting went against the prevailing mood in contemporary art in the 1960s, his work drawing on his religious upbringing and the harsh realities of life in Port Seton. He was known for his prolific output, and in a BBC Culture Show interview broadcast earlier this year, he stated that he was painting more than ever.
Sir John Leighton, Director General of the National Galleries of Scotland, said Bellany would continue to be an inspiration to artists. “From his early, heroic depictions of fisherfolk on the Scottish coast to the vibrant, passionate images of his later years, he gave visual form to the big themes and narratives of human life.
“The retrospective show at the National Galleries last autumn demonstrated how he was able to use the drama and crises of his own life as a starting point for powerful explorations of man’s struggle with fate and, as he entered his seventies, it seemed as if he was still at the top of the game.”
a-n Director Susan Jones recalls Bellany as a visiting lecturer when she was a student at Winchester School of Art in the 1970s, and in particular his forthright views and passion for figurative painting. “A useful by-product of having my conceptual/installation/environmental work torn to shreds by a figurative painter was learning how to make my own strong arguments – and the value of taking another art student with me into tutorials.”
Bellany had been in ill health for some time. As a result of heavy drinking, he underwent a liver transplant in the 1980s. He had also suffered three heart attacks. Speaking last year, he said: “I have had an absolutely incredible 30 years of life since the transplant.”
