Paterson first visited Moniaive, Dumfriesshire, in 1879, settling there after marrying in 1884. It was in Moniaive that his finest works were painted, and his landscapes of the area were a consistent feature of the Glasgow School exhibitions of the 1880s and 1890s. He also painted in Tenerife and Edinburgh but remained loyal throughout his career to recording the seasonal moods of this part of Scotland. Many of the large-scale Moniaive landscapes were sold in Europe. 

James Paterson RSA PRSW RWS, 1854-1932

Born in Glasgow, Paterson attended classes at Glasgow School of Art while working as a clerk. In 1878 he studied in Paris in the studios of Jacquesson de la Chevreuse, a former pupil of Ingres, and Jean-Paul Laurens. He was to become one of the leading members of the Glasgow School and a lifelong friend of W.Y. Macgregor.