An intricate painting of a haystack by an artist who made an Aberdeenshire fishing village their home has sold for a record £13,000.
The artwork by Joan Eardley attracted significant interest in the John Milne Auctioneers sale in Aberdeen yesterday, before eventually being bought by an English collector.
It is understood the painting came to auction as part of a consignment of works from a local seller.
Haystack fascination for Joan Eardley
Haystacks were a constant fascination for Joan Eardley with them inspiring several works from the Sussex-born artist, who lived latterly in Catterline.
It is believed the one that went under the hammer this week was painted about 100 years ago in either the 1920s or 1930s.
The painting has a thick gritty texture in the paint with hay believed to have been used in the work.
Eardley did much of her work outdoors and would typically incorporate dust, grit and bits of plants into the painting.
While haystacks were a keen focus for her, others incorporated more landscape in the background.
A smaller picture of a haystack from the artist recently sold at a different auction in Scotland for £7,560.
The £13,000 hammer price is a record for Aberdeen-based John Milne Auctioneers.
Catterline home
Rural life in Catterline, south of Stonehaven, was a constant source of inspiration for Eardley from the 1950s, before moving there permanently in 1961.
She initially concentrated on the surrounding landscape and traditional-style cottages before doing energetic seascapes.
Despite her career lasting just under 15 years, she produced about 1,000 paintings and many more crayon sketches.
Today she remains one of Scotland’s most enduringly popular artists.
Joan Eardley: Our enduring fascination with shy artist who made Catterline her home