William Gillies

Title: Miners at the Pit Head

Description: Pen, ink and wash. c.1930-1940.

Paintings like this are exceedingly rare in the market. William Gillies did occasionally depict mining subjects, particularly in the 1930s and 1940s, when he turned his attention to the industrial landscapes of central Scotland, including mining villages and colliery buildings. These works often portrayed the built environment and social realities of working-class life with a quiet restraint.

While not a dominant theme in his oeuvre, mining scenes—such as this—reflect his interest in the changing Scottish landscape and the human imprint upon it. He approached these subjects with the same formal sensitivity and compositional care as his rural scenes, often using a muted palette and subtle cubist influences to evoke structure and atmosphere.

Dimensions: 26.5 x 19cm (image size)