Paintings by Weir - Granton Harbour

Granton Harbour

Thank you to Stephen Cue for allowing me to reproduce this photograph of his painting. The size of the painting is 33cm x 24cm..

Stephen wrote:

1887

Granton West Pier

"I recently came into possession of this late-19th century watercolour (33x24cm) of the Granton Harbour West Pier by an artist surnamed WEIR.

The artist's initials are indecipherable to me and this is hindering my research. Here is a close-up of the signature & date.

Date and Signature

Any help identifying this artist would be greatly appreciated."

Stephen Coe, Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia: November 22, 2012

Reply to Stephen Cue?

If you think that you might be able to help Stephen to identify this painter, please email me, then I'll give you his email address so that you can send a message direct to him.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: November 22, 2012

Reply

Richard Torrance

Edinburgh

Thank you to Richard Torrance who wrote:

Peter Ingram Weir

Painting 1

"I think the artist is Peter Ingram Weir who flourished 1885-1888 and was an Edinburgh based watercolour painter of landscape who exhibited:

- 5 (another work says 2) paintings at the Royal Scottish Academy

- 1 painting at Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour

- 1 painting at the Walker Gallery, Liverpool.

Richard Torrance, Edinburgh: November 23, 2012

Reply

Stephen Cue

Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you to Stephen Cue for writing again, this time telling me about another painting - size 27.5cm x 19cm.

Stephen wrote:

Another Watercolour by

Peter Ingram Weir

"Another watercolour of Granton Harbour has emerged. This one was painted in 1935 by Peter Ingram Weir from a sketch that he did in 1888 of the harbour looking SW from the East Breakwater. It takes in Granton Pier in the centre and West Pier in the right background.

For Sale at

Auction

"Both these paintings are on their way to Shapes Auction House in Edinburgh for sale early in 2013. Hopefully, they'll find a good home."

Stephen Coe, Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia: November 22, 2012

Images Below

I've reproduced below the painting that Stephen Coe describes, after having done a little work in Photoshop to restore the image.

Question for Stephen

Choice of Colour

There was very little colour in the image that I received from you. So, when I did the Photoshop restoration to it, I tried also adding a few different tones. (Alternatively, I could have added more or less of each tone.)

Can you let me know which, if any, of the six pictures below is the best match for your picture. Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 19, 2012

Reply from Stephen

Thank you, Stephen, for replying to my question about the colours in this painting, and for sending a photograph of detail from the painting. I now have a better idea of the colouring in your original watercolour.

I have included Stephen's message as

Reply

John D Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Stevenson for providing more information about the artist who painted these two Granton Harbour watercolours.

Painting 1 Painting 2

© ©

Here is the artist's obituary, published in The Scotsman newspaper in 1943.

OBITUARY

The Late Mr Peter Weir

The death has occurred of Mr Peter Ingram Weir, a former headmaster at Canonmills School, Edinburgh.

Mr Weir, who was 79 years of age , was for nearly 40 years with the Edinburgh School Board and Education Authority.

He had held appointments in Abbeyhill, Bruntsfield and Canonmills Schools, retiring in 1923.

The Scotsman: January 19, 1943, p.3

Acknowledgement: John D Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh: December 20, 2012

Copyright

Having read the obituary above, I realise that Peter Weir's watercolours will still be subject to copyright for about another year yet. So, if you know who who now holds this copyright - perhaps a surviving member of his family, please email me, then I can contact them to ensure that they are happy for me to have included the images above on the EdinPhoto web site.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 20, 2012.

Reply

John D Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

Granton Western Breakwater

Survey

Thank you to John Stevenson for telling me about this page about Granton Western Breakwater on the CFA Archaeology web site.

John sent me the link after seeing this watercolour that features the breakwater as it was in the 1890s.

Painting 1

The CFA Archaeology web site page gives the results of a 2008 Survey of Granton Western Breakwater, commissioned by Forth Ports Developments Ltd. to provide a permanent record of the construction of the breakwater and of the types of material used.

The Report includes several maps, plans and photos of the breakwater. These can be found at the end of the page in the above link.

Granton Western Harbour

Brief HIstory

Granton Western Breakwater was constructed in 1849 in order to expand the size of Granton Harbour which was built 1835-45.

Since the mid-20th century, most of the western and southern parts of Granton Western Harbour have been reclaimed, leaving a much smaller harbour.

In the early 21's century some homes have been built on the reclaimed land. More are planned, but there may not be any more major developments until the economy and housing markets improve..

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 20, 2012, with acknowledgement to
John D Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh, for providing the link above: December 20, 2012

Reply

Stephen Cue,

Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia.

Thank you to Stephen Cue for letting me know the sizes of this two paintings by Peter Ingram Weir, and for commenting on the colours in Painting 2.

Stephen wrote:

Painting 2

"The colouring of Weir's 1935 painting is pretty much as you see, unfortunately

With its yellowed background and restrained colour application, this later more impressionistic style doesn't have the strong delineation of his early more draughtsman-like work.

However, from an artistic point of view, I prefer his later work with its less laboured approach and more expressive brushwork.

Here is a detail from this watercolour for your perusal.

Painting 2

(detail)

Stephen Cue, Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia. December 26, 2012

Colours in the Painting

I found it helpful to see the colours in 'Painting 2 (detail)'. I feel that this gives me a better impression of the appearance of the original watercolour.

The images of this painting that I added to the web site previously had very little colour or contrast in until I added some using Photoshop.

(I've not made any Photoshop adjustments to the 'detail' picture above.)

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 27, 2012

Reply

John D Stevenson

Trinity, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Stevenson for writing again with more information about Peter Ingram Weir, the artist who painted these two pictures of Granton Harbour..

Painting 1 Painting 2

© ©

John wrote:

"I took a walk into the Royal Scottish Academy at the Mound yesterday and had a chat with a most helpful Information Assistant there. Here is what she told me."

Peter Ingram Weir

- Peter Ingram Weir was born in Leith, 1864.

- He was son of Peter Weir (born in Fife) and Isabella Weir (born in Perthshire)

- He died in1943

- He was regarded very much as a non-professional artist.

- He had five watercolour landscape paintings exhibited by the 'RSA' and one by the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, all between 1885 and 1888. These six paintings are all now believed to be in private collections.

- There is a casual mention that he continued to paint, but no record of his output has survived.

Marilena Alonzi, Information Assistant, RSA: January 3, 2012

John added:

"I followed up Peter Ingram Weir's family history through the censuses, and here's what I found."

Peter Ingram Weir

1871:	- Living with parents at 1 Woodville Terrace , South Leith - Scholar age 7 years
1881:	- Living with parents at 89 Lochend Road, Leith - Pupil Teacher
1891:	- Living with parents at 5 Dundas Street, Edinburgh - Certified Assistant Teacher'
1901:	- Living with parents at 14 Pitt Street, Leith - Teacher in Edinburgh Board School'
There is no record in the above censuses of Peter ever having been married.

Acknowledgement: John D Stevenson, Trinity, Edinburgh: January 4, 2013

Reply

Stephen Cue

Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia.

Thank you to Stephen Coe for writing again, telling me:

P I Weir

Legacy to the National Trust

"This article in the Glasgow Herald, 1943 mentions a legacy given by Peter I Weir to the National Trust.

I've not been able to determine the nature of the legacy as yet."

Stephen Cue, Numulgi, New South Wales, Australia. January 12, 2013