Scottish Floral Oil Painting Mixed Wildflowers In Tankard by Dan Ferguson ROI





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Description


Title “Mary’s Garden” — Scottish Still Life of Mixed Wildflowers by Dan Ferguson ROI (Scottish, 1910–1992)

Subject & Medium
A richly observed Scottish floral still life: mixed wild and garden flowers arranged in a traditional tankard/jug on a dark tabletop, set against a calm neutral background that throws the bouquet forward.
Medium: Oil on board
Presentation: Framed and under glass (protective glazing), consistent with the published auction description for this work.

Composition & Technique
This is an “exhibition-style” composition—balanced, readable across a room, and built for wall impact:
Structure: a stable pyramidal bouquet with tall stems (heather/foxglove forms) creating height, rounded masses of bloom (daisy/aster/chrysanthemum forms) building the centre, and lighter trailing stems softening the base.
Depth & layering: flowers overlap convincingly; stems weave behind and in front of heads, creating genuine spatial depth rather than a flat decorative pattern.
Tonal design: the restrained background and dark tabletop act as a stage, intensifying the saturation and clarity of the blooms.
Material realism: the tankard/jug is modelled with subtle half-tones and crisp highlight glints, giving it believable weight and reflective sheen.

Flowers
This bouquet is not generic—its forms strongly reflect Scottish wild + cottage-garden choices. Here’s a collector-grade breakdown, with distinguishing features that support each ID:
Heather (Calluna/Erica-type) — feathery purple sprays rising behind the bouquet; contributes a misty, airy top-note typical of Scottish arrangements.
Thistle (Cirsium-type) — spiky blue-purple heads with radiating bracts; iconic Scottish emblem; the angular bracts and thorny foliage are carefully suggested.
Foxglove (Digitalis-type) — tall upright spikes with tubular bell flowers in warm orange-pink; creates vertical “architecture.”
Oxeye/Shasta-type daisies (Leucanthemum-type) — white ray petals around yellow centres; several heads act as bright focal discs in the mid-field.
Asters / Michaelmas daisies (Aster/Symphyotrichum-type) — finer-petalled mauve and purple daisy forms, flatter and more numerous, typical late-summer/early-autumn bouquet bloom.
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum-type) — denser, layered heads (notably yellow) with heavier petal volume; adds “exhibition fullness.”
Bluebells (Hyacinthoides-type) — drooping bell shapes in blue near the lower bouquet; cool counterpoint to the yellows and warm accents.
Cornflower / knapweed-like blues (Centaurea-type) — spiky, starry blue accents and thistle-family textures near the lower section.
Meadow umbels / fillers (yarrow/cow-parsley type) — small clustered whites used as connective tissue between larger heads; adds botanical naturalism.
Mixed meadow grasses & foliage — slender stems and leaves threaded through the bouquet, adding movement and “freshly gathered” authenticity.
(These identifications are based on flower-head structure, ray/floret patterns, spike/umbel silhouettes, and colour placement as depicted.)

About the Artist
Art UK records Dan Ferguson (1910–1992) as a Scottish painter and printmaker, brother of the artist Roy Ferguson, stating he was born and lived in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art.
This is highly relevant to your painting because the original exhibition label on the reverse records “Dan Ferguson, R.O.I.” and gives a Motherwell, Lanarkshire address—aligning strongly with the Art UK profile.
A published McTear’s biography for Dan Ferguson adds further context: education after Dalziel High School, election to ROI in 1958, and exhibiting with Scottish institutions including the RSW and Royal Glasgow Institute, with works represented in public galleries including Glasgow and Paisley.

Historical Importance
This picture is anchored in Scotland’s long-running exhibition culture through its original, fully completed Paisley Art Institute Exhibition label (affixed to the reverse). The label documents the painting’s exhibited title, number, and original price—exactly the kind of period paper trail that elevates a work from “decorative floral” to “documented exhibition still life.”
Additionally, this work has a publicly recorded auction history, providing modern market verification and traceability.

Signed
Signed “DAN FERGUSON” to the lower right. The reverse exhibition label also records the artist as “Dan Ferguson, R.O.I.”

Framed
Presented in an ornate gilt moulded frame with strong decorative presence, and under glass for protection (as recorded in the published auction description).

Dimensions Framed : 75 cm (H) × 60 cm (W) × 5.5 cm (D)
Approx. image size: 61 × 46 cm (as per published auction record).

Provenance
A rare combination of period labels + public record:
Paisley Art Institute Exhibition (Scotland) — original label verso, fully completed:
Exhibit no.: 2
Title: “MARY’S GARDEN”
Artist: “DAN FERGUSON, R.O.I.”
Artist Old Address: Redyett, Motherwell, Lanarks
Agent: McClures, Glasgow
(All directly supported by the attached label; also referenced in published lot notes.)
McClures, Glasgow — recorded on the exhibition label as the agent; additional “McClure” trade label present on the reverse.
McTear’s (Glasgow) — published auction record for “Mary’s Garden” (oil on board; signed; titled label verso; framed and under glass), sold 20 June 2024.
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD — later curated/handled in the trade (dealer label present on the reverse).

Why You’ll Love It
Documented exhibition history — original Paisley Art Institute label with title, number, and period price (£40).
Scottish identity in the subject — thistle + heather + bluebells create an unmistakably Scottish bouquet.
Serious “exhibition” technique — layered depth, confident colour, and convincing vessel realism.
Traceable public market record — a published McTear’s auction listing provides modern verification.
Decorative impact — large framed size (75 × 60 cm) makes it a statement piece for home or office.
Protected presentation — framed and under glass for display and preservation.
Verso labels add credibility — collectors value visible documentary material they can verify in photos.

Condition Report
Offered in fine used condition overall, with age-consistent characteristics:
light surface foxing and craquelure in places;
foxing/ageing visible on the reverse;
frame wear including dusting, marks, minor chips and cracking commensurate with age and handling.

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Reserve: $5,306.00

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