William Gillies: Modernism and Nation in British Art

Through exploring the life and work of William Gillies, Andrew McPherson shows that his art originates in his personal traumas and awareness of human fragility in a century of world wars, change and uncertainty.

This remarkable account uncovers paintings not seen before and reveals new meanings among his portraits, still lifes and landscapes. Exploring issues of cultural politics, sex, gender, religion and mental health, Gillies is placed firmly within the modernist canon and the broader Scottish, British and European contexts.

Andrew McPherson has been researching the life, times and works of William Gillies for over twenty years, finding both an explanation and a corrective for the recognition Gillies lacks