5 Wellpark Terrace West

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Alberto Morrocco lived for some time  at 5 Wellpark Terrace West. He was one of the most popular and gifted Scottish artists of the 20th century. He is famous for his landscape paintings of Scotland but is perhaps best known for his beach scenes and views of Venice. He was also one of the greatest portrait painters of his generation.

Early Years

Morrocco was born in Aberdeen in 1917 and studied at Gray’s School of Art where, aged just 14, he was by far the youngest student. He also studied in France, Italy and Switzerland. His Italian heritage and Italian visits helped inspire his colourful paintings.

Morrocco at War

During World War II his career was necessarily put on hold. As the son of Italian immigrants, he was detained in Edinburgh Castle as an alien. He was then released and permitted to serve for the remainder of the war in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a conscientious objector.

Professional Career

Most of his professional career was spent in the Dundee area where he was Head of Drawing and Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. During a most distinguished career, Morrocco received several prestigious awards including the San Vito Romano prize and the Guthrie and Carnegie Awards from the Royal Scottish Academy plus several honorary doctorates. Among many painting commissions is the portrait of the Queen Mother which is part of the University of Dundee’s Fine Art Collection.

The well-known beach scene here was chosen by Dundee Art Galleries and Museums for the poster for their Morrocco exhibition in 1993. We are fortunate to also have access to this watercolour preparatory sketch below the beach scene picture. In contrast to the colourful beach and Mediterranean scenes for which he is so noted, the chicken sketch shows his skilled draftsmanship.

Retirement years

On retirement from teaching Morrocco’s output and international reputation grew, making him one of today’s most admired and collectable Scottish artists. He exhibited regularly. His work is held in many public and private collections throughout the UK and abroad. Morrocco was prodigiously productive. He had a spectacular retirement, producing some of his most vigorous work in the period from 1982 until his death. Even late in his life and seriously ill, he would commit himself to exhibitions of thirty or forty new works in a year.

Alberto’s son Leon and nephew Jack are both established artists, each in his own right, but both much influenced by Alberto. Morrocco died in Dundee in 1998.