Born in Northumberland, Joseph Crawhall was recognised as one of the leaders of the radical circle of young Scottish painters known as The Glasgow Boys, who came to prominence in the 1880s. He gained national and international acclaim for his watercolours and gouaches on linen depicting animals and birds. During his lifetime, he exhibited alongside Degas and Whistler, the latter declaring him “the truest artist of the Glasgow men, and, as far as I know, the best in England.” Crawhall was a master of economy, capturing the essential spirit of his subjects with minimal yet unerringly precise brushwork, often executed on unprimed Holland linen, an exceptionally challenging medium. The present work exemplifies his mastery of both technique and subject.

Crawhall was especially admired by Sir William Burrell, the Scottish shipping magnate whose extensive art collection was gifted to Glasgow City Council (The Burrell Collection, Glasgow). Burrell, a discerning collector who was among the first to acquire works by Degas and Rodin when they were considered avant-garde, collected no artist more extensively than Crawhall, amassing over 140 examples of his work.