At Brora, Sutherland by Scottish painter Robert Allan (1851-1942) depicts a tranquil harbour scene in the coastal village of Brora, on the eastern edge of Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands. Boats lie quietly on the shore, one returning to the harbour, while a cluster of cottages stands nearby. Seagulls gather on the still surface, and a few faintly rendered figures introduce a subtle sense of human presence. Painted in soft, muted tones, the scene is suffused with a calm, atmospheric quality. Allan was renowned for his depictions of landscapes and maritime subjects like this one, which he often painted in plein air, working in both watercolour and oil. His style was influenced by the French school of rustic naturalism, with some faint traces of French Impressionism, both developed during his artistic training in France.

Robert Weir Allan VPRWS RSW, 1851-1942

Born in Glasgow, the son of a well-known lithographer and publisher, Allan decided to become an artist rather than join his father in this business. He moved to Paris in 1875, studying at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts before settling in London in 1881. He travelled in Europe, toured India in 1891-92, went to Japan in 1907 and visited North Africa in 1911-12.