Rural landscape Scotland
William Darling McKay is a Scottish artist, known for his landscapes. He came to Edinburgh at the age of 16 and was first noticed ten years later for a series of pastorals, in which figures played an important part. He was awarded an honorary LLD by the University of Edinburgh in 1919 and thereafter known as Dr McKay. In 1872, when on a painting excursion to Cadzow Forest, he became increasingly interested in watercolour painting. Best remembered as the author of The Scottish School of Painting (1906) which, although a pioneer work, encompassed the 18th century in a mere eight pages.
John Mather was a Scottish-Australian plein-air painter and etcher. As a painter, Mather was involved in the bohemian Artists' Camps of Sydney. In 1912 along with Frederick McCubbin, Max Meldrum, Walter Withers Mather formed the breakaway Australian Art Association. Three of Mather's own paintings, Autumn in the Fitzroy Gardens in oils, and Morning, Lake Omeo and Wintry Weather, Yarra Glen, both watercolours, were purchased by the National Gallery of Victoria.