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§ Robert MacBryde (Scottish, 1913-1966) Still life with an oil lamp and a basket of eggs on a table signed 'MacBryde' (lower left) oil on canvas 74.50 x 59cm (29 x 23in) Other Notes: Robert MacBryde was a popular artist with council authorities; both Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire purchased still life paintings for their collections. Unlike these pictures, however - which were both exhibited at the National Gallery of Scotland's exhibition, 'The Two Roberts: Robert Colquhoun & Robert MacBryde' in 2014 - the Hertfordshire MacBryde is a work previously unknown to scholars. Although we do not know when the picture was executed, stylistically, it fits in with several works painted by Macbyde between 1955-60. The similarity of titles and the absence of dimensions in MacBryde's exhibition catalogues around this period makes it difficult to establish the provenance of the present picture. We do know that Cambridgeshire County Council purchased their still life, 'Red and Black Still Life' from the Kaplan Gallery, London 'Recent Paintings by Robert MacBryde', April 1960'. We are grateful to Roger Bristow for his kind assistance with this catalogue entry.Oil on canvas which is unlined. The paint layers have been thickly applied. In many areas the paint passages have been built up in several layers which have a different appearance under ultraviolet light, this appears to be part of the artist's technique rather than a later reworking. There are drying cracks in some areas of the painting which have formed as the paint layer has dried. There are localised areas of cracking in the paint layers, some with slightly raised edges. There are light scuffs and scratches to the surface and layer of dirt and dust.The painting was likely cleaned at some stage, which may have resulted in the fading of the signature.

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