29.4.24

ADAM BRUCE THOMSON: THE QUIET PATH

11 May – 6 October 2024

Adam Bruce Thomson: The Quiet Path is the first ever major retrospective on Thomson to be held in a public gallery, and features over 100 artworks from public and private collections, including the National Galleries of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy. 

Adam Bruce Thomson (1885-1976) was one of the most quietly impactful artists of his generation. Born in Edinburgh, he was among the earliest intake of students to train at Edinburgh College of Art, following its establishment in 1908. He went on to teach at the College for another forty years, supporting successive cohorts of young artists. 

In his own practice, Thomson worked across a range of media, mastering various printmaking techniques, drawing in pastels, and painting in oils and watercolours. His subject-matter was similarly diverse, spanning portraiture, still life, architecture and landscape themes.

Thomson exhibited widely and was well-respected by his peers, receiving an OBE in 1963. However, as a naturally modest individual, his understated approach often denied him the spotlight. To date, his contribution to twentieth-century Scottish art remains largely unexplored.

Adam Bruce Thomson: The Quiet Path brings this talented artist back to public attention. Arranged over two floors of the City Art Centre, the exhibition charts Thomson’s extensive career, from his early student compositions to the evocative Scottish landscapes of his maturity. It traces his stylistic development, while examining his important role as a teacher, mentor and friend to other artists.

The exhibition’s curator, Dr Helen Scott said: “Adam Bruce Thomson was such a talented, versatile artist, who remains mostly unknown, even in his native Edinburgh. Despite making a significant impact on 20th century Scottish art, he was extremely modest about his achievements, and has become something of an art historical footnote, overshadowed by bigger names. For this exhibition I've been privileged to gain access to rare archival material and artworks held in private collections, helping me piece together the story of his life and career. I'm excited to share these discoveries with visitors to the exhibition, giving Adam Bruce Thomson the attention he deserves.”

The exhibition is accompanied by a book - Adam Bruce Thomson: The Quiet Path (Sansom & Company, 2024) ‑ written by Dr Helen Scott with a foreword by Sir Alexander McCall Smith CBE, who says: “Attention to the work of Adam Bruce Thomson is long overdue and much welcomed. Helen Scott is to be thanked for reminding us of a very fine artist who has not received the attention he is undoubtedly due.”