James McBey
(1883 - 1959)
Born in Newburgh near Aberdeen, Scotland, James McBey attended evening classes at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen. He became interested in printmaking, eventually teaching himself the etching process and building his own press. After a successful solo exhibition in London, McBey traveled to Morocco with fellow Scots artist James Kerr Lawson, beginning a long association with North Africa.
In 1916, in the midst of World War I, McBey enlisted in the British Army and gained an appointment as an Official War Artist. In 1917 he was sent to Egypt and, working primarily in watercolor, produced some 300 works depicting the British campaigns in Egypt and Palestine.
McBey first visited America In 1929 and met his wife Marguerite in Philadelphia. McBey returned to Morocco in 1932 and eventually bought houses near Tangier and Marrakesh. During the Second World War the McBeys left North Africa for America, during which time they visited New Mexico in February, 1942.
McBey’s etching of Ranchos de Taos shows the famous St. Francis de Asis church from a more distant perspective than most artists chose to depict. Viewed from a spot in the fields just to the south of the village, the church remains immediately recognizable in the middle distance, framed by the dramatic mountain backdrop towering above Taos Pueblo some eight miles to the north.
McBey produced some lovely watercolors of New Mexico subjects (including a closer view of the St. Francis de Asis church) but the current work would appear his only southwestern print.
In 1916, in the midst of World War I, McBey enlisted in the British Army and gained an appointment as an Official War Artist. In 1917 he was sent to Egypt and, working primarily in watercolor, produced some 300 works depicting the British campaigns in Egypt and Palestine.
McBey first visited America In 1929 and met his wife Marguerite in Philadelphia. McBey returned to Morocco in 1932 and eventually bought houses near Tangier and Marrakesh. During the Second World War the McBeys left North Africa for America, during which time they visited New Mexico in February, 1942.
McBey’s etching of Ranchos de Taos shows the famous St. Francis de Asis church from a more distant perspective than most artists chose to depict. Viewed from a spot in the fields just to the south of the village, the church remains immediately recognizable in the middle distance, framed by the dramatic mountain backdrop towering above Taos Pueblo some eight miles to the north.
McBey produced some lovely watercolors of New Mexico subjects (including a closer view of the St. Francis de Asis church) but the current work would appear his only southwestern print.