Murray’s natural fine sense of colour aand training in observation and detail meant that he was exceptionally skilled in dealing with complex landscapes with many elements, as there are in Woodsman. The bright blue of the sky meets the rich golden tones of the leaves of the tree and the deep green of the grass, and marry to create a beautiful landscape setting for the man and horse.

Sir David Murray RA HRSA, 1849-1933

Born in Glasgow, Murray spent eleven years in commerce there, studying part-time at Glasgow School of Art under Robert Greenlees before deciding to concentrate on his painting. A prolific artist, he specialised in landscape and seascape. He greatly admired the work of Constable and Corot. Complimenting Murray on his skill in the handling of paint, the Scottish art historian Sir James Caw wrote in 1908 that he was "gifted with a fine sense of colour, frank and unprejudiced vision, and genuine, if not deep, appreciation of the more brilliant aspects of Nature". In 1882 Murray followed in the footsteps of many Scottish painters by settling in London.