Tess Visser
Research Student
History of Art, University of Glasgow
Current Projects
The focus of Tess’s research is on the materials and methods used by a selection of artists from the artistic group the Glasgow Boys and of the Dutch artist Matthijs Maris. In the late nineteenth century, art dealers in Scotland were keen on collecting contemporary works from France and the Netherlands, such as the Barbizon School and the Hague School respectively. This offered artists working in Scotland the opportunity to view works by international contemporaries without having to travel abroad. Matthijs Maris’s work was collected in Scotland and were on display during the International Exhibitions of 1886 in Edinburgh, and 1888 in Glasgow. In this period of pigment development, wide travel and international influences, the Glasgow Boys were inspired to create a style of their own, leaving the moralistic genre pictures of previous generations behind. In this project, Tess is working on creating a better understanding of the Dutch influence, specifically that of Matthijs Maris, on the painting techniques and material choices of the Glasgow Boys.
Biography
Tess recently graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MLitt in Technical Art History. With a further background in both Art History, Chemistry and Anthropology, she is particularly interested in the materials and methods used by artists and their development over time. With her work, Tess wants to contribute to the understanding of historic art materials through analysis. Currently, Tess is undertaking a PhD in History of Art studying the materials and methods of the Glasgow Boys and the Dutch Matthijs Maris.
Useful Links
For more details, please check out Tess’s university homepage.