The Vegetable Stall

Macgregor's large, bold still life painting is considered his masterpiece. The rich colours and thick square brush strokes contribute to the convincingly robust character of the vegetables and the textural variety of the setting. Originally the figure of the stall holder, a young market girl counting her takings, was included at the right side. This feature reflected the influence of earlier French and Flemish paintings. Macgregor's decision to concentrate on the still life, however, resulted in a highly original picture. He produced this work while living in Crail, Fife, during the summer months of 1884.