Biography
Charles James McCall (b. Edinburgh, Scotland, UK 1907 - d. London 1989) was initially educated in Edinburgh and first worked for a law firm, whilst studying in the evenings at Edinburgh College of Art. At 23 he won a scholarship to Edinburgh College, sponsored by his teacher D. M. Sutherland, obtaining his diploma in two years instead of the usual four and was also taught by David Foggie and S. J. Peploe. Scholarships in the mid-1930s took McCall extensively around Europe, and for much of 1937 he studied under Othon Friesz at the Atelier Colarossi in Paris. On his return he was awarded a two-year fellowship in Edinburgh.
After commissioned service in the Royal Engineers in World War II, mainly working on camouflage, McCall resumed painting and gradually built up an impressive series of one-man shows in England, North America, Canada and Ireland, venues including Leicester Galleries and and Belgrave Gallery, London and Waddington Gallery, Dublin. Christie’s held a large retrospective in 1995.
