Thread by @ArtyArtHistory

John Duncan might be one of the most far-reaching artists to ever live. He painted in fairytales, creating vivid pagan imagery mixed with the pastel colors & decadent late 19th century style of the time, & was a part of the Celtic Revival, Pre-Raphaelite, and Symbolist movements.

In terms of his subject matter, Duncan loved depicting Arthurian legends, Celtic folklore, and other mythological subjects. His thematic inspiration was closely associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement, but he's generally seen as a Symbolist.

He was also heavily inspired by older art styles, such as the Italian Renaissance and the Medieval Irish manuscripts. He worked predominantly in tempera, deliberately mimicking the styles and techniques of the creators of the Renaissance and the Irish manuscripts.

What was the Celtic Revival?

Towards the end of the 19th century, visionary artists, musicians, writers, Gaelic scholars and collectors in the British Isles were inspired by their native art, myth, folklore to create a new movement, rediscovering their Celtic heritage.

Duncan experimented a lot with different techniques and styles, and his work has a mystical, otherworldly quality. He claimed to hear ‘fairy music’ when he painted, and married a girl who claimed to have found the Holy Grail in a well at Glastonbury, but the marriage didn’t last.

Painting: Yorinda and Yoringel in the Witch's Wood - 1909

This work illustrates Grimm's fairy tale of the same name, which tells how two lovers wander into a wood where a witch turns the girl, Yorinda, into a nightingale and carries her off to her castle. Yoringel eventually rescues her with the aid of a magic flower.

"The Riders of the Sidhe is a John Duncan masterpiece. It is an iconic image of the late 19th-century Celtic revival – a movement that evoked the ancient cultural identities of Scotland and Ireland.
In Celtic myth, the Sidhe are fairy folk. They are shown in procession, riding out on the May festival of Beltane to initiate mortals into their faith.

Duncan intended the pose and expression of each rider to reflect the qualities of the Celtic symbol they carry. From left to right: the tree of life denotes wisdom; the grail cup love; the sword symbolises strength and power: and the stone (or crystal) of quietness is hope, as it reflects the past and the future.

Duncan’s talent was to blend many sources to create a modern depiction of an ancient culture. The sword has similarities to bronze age examples – we know that he studied illustrations from museum collections.
The painting also reveals Duncan’s study of Italian Renaissance artists, and he acknowledged the drapery of Edward Burne-Jones as inspiration." - Anna Robertson

These figures have clear Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite inspiration, and seem to be breathing the spirit of life itself...

This painting here I saw in person in Scotland, one year ago. I was so entranced by it... It looked almost like a Pre-Raphaelite style tapestry. This painting depicts the Irish saint being held aloft by a couple of angels, and is reminiscent of medieval art.

Saint Bride, 1913

This work is called "Aoife". Aoife is the female warrior of Celtic Mythology. The waterfall in the background echoes her harsh blue eyes, ripe with passion and sharp perception

Drawing of Irish mythological hero Cuchulainn (left)
Deirdre of the sorrows (right)
Dates unknown.

"Head of a Goddess"

This painting I love, without even knowing anything about it. Where does this kind of headdress come from? It seems so angular yet realistic and filled with feeling.

I love how John Duncan uses pattern in an independent free way in his paintings to add a new dimension, it’s almost a perfect blend of realism and abstract, quilt-like pattern.

He had the freedom to do this by abandoning pure realism and leaping into the world of fantasy, fairytale-drawing and this kind of organic ethnic folkloric Art Nouveau style from the Celtic Revival, and people like William Morris.

Heptu Bidding Farewell to the City of Obb (1909)

One of those paintings that provide a link between 19th-century art and 20th-century fantasy illustration.

To learn all about John Duncan, his inspiration, background, and my stylistic analysis and interpretation of these paintings, and many more, watch my new video :)