scottish modernism oil painting spring 1947 a moment of nurture by william mccance

Title:“Spring 1947” – An Intimate Modernist Allegory by William McCance (Scottish, 1894–1970)
Signed Lower Right | Oil on Canvas | Exhibited Work
Overview:
This original oil painting by William McCance, titled Spring 1947, is a profound and quietly powerful modernist work painted in the immediate post-war years. Executed in richly layered oil on canvas, it depicts a mother cat nursing her kittens on a windowsill, bathed in soft spring light. A subtle, almost hidden element — a small animal skull resting behind the mother — introduces a layer of symbolic depth, transforming a domestic scene into a philosophical meditation on life, death, and renewal.

Painted in 1947, just two years after the end of World War II, the work speaks to resilience and regeneration. McCance elevates the ordinary to the universal, inviting contemplation of care, survival, and the fragility of existence.Subject & Symbolism:
At first glance, this is a gentle moment of maternal intimacy. A mother cat curls around her kittens, nurturing them in a warm and quiet interior. Daylight filters in through a window, parting the green and brown curtains to reveal a spring landscape outside — a promise of return and renewal. The presence of the skull behind the cat subtly interrupts the scene’s serenity, acting as a memento mori and grounding the work in post-war existential reflection.Composition & Technique:
McCance structures the composition with precision and emotion. The curve of the cat’s body draws the eye naturally across the canvas, from the kittens to the skull, and then outward to the framed spring view. The colour palette is earthy yet luminous:Warm umbers and ochres shape the cats’ bodies
Moss greens and shadowy greys define the interior
Soft lavenders, pale blues, and whites suggest seasonal transition beyond the window
The brushwork varies from sculptural impasto to fluid, atmospheric passages. The cat’s body is abstracted, almost cubist in volume, while the kittens are looser and gestural. The skull, stark and white, adds tonal contrast and conceptual tension. The result is a synthesis of McCance’s early modernist rigor and the emotive subtlety of his later years.
Artist & Attribution:
Signed “W. McC” in the lower right corner, this painting is a fully authenticated work by William McCance. A major figure in British Modernism, McCance was known for his early avant-garde compositions and, later, for deeply introspective and symbolically charged works such as this. His influences included Vorticism, Cubism, and Futurism, though in later life he embraced a quieter, more reflective visual language.About the Artist:
Born in Cambuslang, Scotland, William McCance (1894–1970) studied at the Glasgow School of Art. His refusal to serve in WWI as a conscientious objector profoundly shaped his worldview and, later, his art. McCance's early work featured bold geometric abstraction, while his post-war paintings often focused on domestic scenes with underlying spiritual and symbolic meaning. Alongside his wife, artist and engraver Agnes Miller Parker, he developed a reputation for thoughtful, disciplined, and emotionally resonant work. Today, his paintings are held in major UK public collections, and select works have achieved auction results exceeding $68,000.Framed Dimensions:
60 cm wide × 50.5 cm high × 3.5 cm deep
Housed in a later professionally selected wooden frame with fitted hanging cord, ready for immediate display.Provenance:From the Estate of William McCance
Acquired at a notable Scottish auction (label verso)
Exhibited:
Reading Museum and Art Gallery, 11 June – 2 July 1960 (Cat. No. 49)
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 11 October – 25 November 1990
Lord Hill Museum, 4 July 2025
With Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
Condition Report:
In good original condition with strong colour and no evidence of overpainting. There is some minor age-related wear, including light craquelure, foxing, edge paint loss, and stretcher marks. The later frame shows minor surface abrasions and wear consistent with age but remains structurally sound and well presented.
Why Collect This Work:A rare and emotionally charged piece by a leading figure in Scottish Modernism
A symbolic post-war work with universal themes of care, mortality, and renewal
Provenanced and museum-exhibited, with strong historical significance
Suitable for both modern and traditional collections
A sensitive and masterful fusion of formal composition and human emotion
Shipping:
Worldwide shipping available. Professionally packed and fully insured for secure global delivery.
Enquiries Welcome:
Please contact us for additional photographs, condition details, or provenance documentation.

Antiques.co.uk Ref: G2UHWMMVA

Maker/Artist:

William McCance

Materials:

Oil on canvas

Width (cm):

60

Height (cm):

50

Depth (cm):

3.5

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