Dorothy Johnstone was a pioneer of women’s art in the early 20th century; she was the star student at Edinburgh College of Art, graduating in 1912. Not long after the new College was created out of the old Trustees Academy. Johnstone was clearly aware of contemporary developments in Paris, and certainly, the College wasn't cut off from artistic European trends. Her older contemporaries in Edinburgh included the Scottish Colourists Peploe and Cadell.

Although their example might have influenced her work, in reality, it was a woman artist who seemed to liberate both her style and palette, Laura Knight exhibited eleven pictures at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1916. Significantly too she had already shown a picture ...