Lachlan Goudie & Duncan Macmillan (10:45)

Who knew that a Scottish enlightenment philosopher paved the way for the making of modern masterpieces by the likes of Courbet, Monet and Cezanne? In his brilliant new book Duncan Macmillan reveals how Thomas Reid’s radical beliefs, published in 1764, urging painters to express their feelings in their art, was adopted by the emerging modern masters in 19th century France.

There are breakthrough painters aplenty in artist and broadcaster Lachlan Goudie’s epic Story of Scottish Art, which recounts how 5000 years of creativity has defined a nation. Goudie, who is half-French, provides the ideal companion to Macmillan’s contention showing how, in turn, the radicalised French artists inspired generations of rebellious Scots to follow in their footsteps, from the Glasgow Girls and Boys and the Scottish Colourists to mid-century greats such as Joan Eardley.

Two live-wired afficionados will open your eyes to fresh ways of looking at the familiar stories of European art.

In conversation with James Knox, director of the Fleming Collection

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