James McBey 1883-1959
Born in Aberdeenshire in 1883, McBey began his career as a self-taught artist. Originally a banker by trade, by 1910 he had built up the artist confidence to pursue his art on a full-time basis - travelling throughout Europe, North Africa and America. In 1912 he travelled to Morocco with the artist James Kerr Lawson, and incorporated watercolours into his oeuvre. During the First World War McBey was commissioned as a war artist, travelling widely throughout the Middle East.
In his later years, McBey lived primarily near Tangier in Morocco, although spent the final three years of the Second World War in America. After the war he returned to live in Tangier, but returned regularly to Britain and the United States. He died in Tangier, Morocco in 1959.
We are actively seeking consignments of work by James McBey. Please contact us with details or to enquire after available works by this artist.
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James McBeyPunta Palmilla, Mexico, 1958signed and inscribed 'Punta Palmilla, Mexico, 17 January 1958'; inscribed 'Shipping Oxen, Punta Palmilla, Baja California, no.2' versowatercolour, pen and ink14 ¾ x 22 inches -
James McBeyView of San Francisco, California, 1941signed in pen and inscribed 'San Francisco, Dec 1941' in pencil; pen and ink sketch versowatercolour, pen and ink12 x 19 inches
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James McBeyA Tartane Leaving Venice, 1928signed and numbered VII in pen; signed and inscribed 'Venice 12 October 1925' in plate; signed and titled by Martin Hardie in pencil to sheetetchingfrom the edition of 80 proofs6 ½ x 12 ¼ inches
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James McBeyArtist and Model (self-portrait), 1925signed in pen to margin; inscribed 'Specimen proof for publ ed. MH 223' and signed Martin Hardie in pencil to sheetetching2nd trial proof (of 9) preceding the edition of 510 proofs8 ¾ x 6 inches
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James McBeyMacduff, 1922signed and inscribed 'Trial Proof V' in pen to margin; inscribed 'Trial [IV striked through] V thin forcing ink, hard rag, [__] from crowd down', inscribed 'Written by McBey' and 'MacDuff 210' by Martin Hardie in pencil to sheetetching5th trial proof (of 8) preceding the published edition of 76 proofs11 ¾ x 7 ½ inches
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James McBeyBroadstairs, 1919signed and inscribed 'Broadstairs September 1919'watercolour, pen and ink8 ¼ x 13 inches
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The Print Show
12 Jan - 17 Feb 2023Read more -
The Wonderful World of James McBey
The Fine Art Society and Fettes Fine Art 18 Nov - 23 Dec 2022Over a period of 50 years James McBey (1883-1959) would have studios in London, the US and Morocco. From the north-east of Scotland, where he was born and raised, he...Read more -
James McBey
Etchings and Watercolours 11 - 26 Nov 2021'He began at dawn; he spent hours at the end of the Rialto or at a table under the shady colonnade of the Chioggia Cafe in the Piazzetta making pen...Read more -
Coast
1 Apr - 1 May 2021Find the online viewing room for Coast here. Scotland’s coastline is one which naturally inspires in its dramatic geography. Coast presents a journey around the shores of the Scottish homeland,...Read more -
Hang 2 //
Scottish Painting 1900-1940 13 Feb - 14 Mar 2020The years 1900 to 1939 saw Britain move from a period of relative innocence and comfort to the trauma of war. After World War 1, artists retreated to more traditional,...Read more -
The Print Show
13 Jan - 8 Feb 2020The Print Show presented an annual exhibition of Scottish printmaking, featuring three centuries of etchings, drypoint, woodcuts and lithography. Exhibited artists included: Sir Muirhead Bone, James Mcbey, Gerald Brockhurst, Robert...Read more -
Intimate
A Portrait 25 Jul - 31 Aug 2019Close and personal portraiture: painting, sculpture and photography by living and twentieth century artists whose sitters are closest to them or whose inner workings engage them, sometimes the artist themselves....Read more
