Born in Inverness in 1941 Will Maclean was a midshipman before attending Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen. In 1981 he started as a lecturer at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee, becoming Professor of Fine Art in 1994. He was elected Royal Scottish Academician in 1991. In 2005 he was awarded an MBE for services to Education and the Arts. He lives and works in Tayport, Fife with his wife, the artist Marian Leven.
Maclean is a painter, printmaker and sculptor whose work is often related to the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands with particular reference to maritime themes. In 1991 Maclean produced ‘A Night of Islands’ at Peacock for Paragon Press, an impressive suite of ten colour etchings with aquatint inspired by Gaelic poetry and sketchbooks containing daily observations and experimental work.
Maclean produced a run of single colour etchings in the years after the suite was released from which this is one.
'The King's Fish' is an old tale of disagreement between the Viking and the Irish Kings; both hooked the same dogfish at the same time, and they fought over it. The central plate, which has appropriately been bitten in two, by acid, shows both the front and the back of the dogfish. Maclean's work has always included comment on contemporary issues, and this is one of the prints in 'A Night of Islands' where such comment thickens the imagery. 'Fraoch' relates the myth to environmental issues; 'The King's Fish' includes a submarine. As with all the plates except 'A Highland Woman', the landscape (which is haunted) is imaginary.
- Alan Woods from 'The Artist As Voyager' New work by Richard Demarco & Will Maclean publication produced by Peacock, 1991
Paper Size: 65 x 50 cm
Medium: Etching
Edition Size: 30
Year: 1993