Art exhibits 'to attract 20,000'

Raeburn's portrait of Dougald Stewart Williamson

An exhibition in Kirkcudbright which charts five centuries of Scottish painting is expected to attract 20,000 visitors.

The show, which opened at the weekend, features over 50 works by artists such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Sir Henry Raeburn and Colourist Samuel Peploe.

Curator David Devereux said the month-long exhibition in the Town Hall had "something for everyone".

"Lots of people have come in and we've had some very good comments," he said.

"We have some fascinating portraits for the first time in Kirkcudbright exhibitions, particularly with the Raeburn works, which have been donated by a local lender," he said.

"There's lots of strong local interest in the four paintings by Edward Hornel, one of the 'Glasgow Boys', and the two Charles Rennie Mackintosh watercolours.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh's watercolour of Port Vendres

"The 50 plus paintings really do cover the range of Scottish output over the last five centuries."

The touring exhibition, which has also been seen in Edinburgh and London, charts Scottish art from the 16th to the 19th Century.

Kirkcudbright has been the venue for a variety of exhibitions over the past few years, which have been arranged by the Kirkcudbright 2000 group.

The group's long-term aim is to see an art gallery of national significance established in the town to reflect its unique artistic heritage.

In the early 20th Century the town and surrounding countryside were home to Edward Hornel, Jessie M King and Charles Oppenheimer.