Charles Oppenheimer 1948-51

MAFA President 1948-1951

Charles Oppenheimer, whose mother was Scottish, was born in Manchester in 1875 where his family owned a mosaic manufacturing business. He was enrolled at the Manchester School of Art where he studied design. Here he came under the influence of Walter Crane, a leading member of the Arts and Crafts movement.

In 1908 he moved with his wife, Connie, to Kirkcudbright to join an artist’s community in south-western Scotland. By this time Oppenheimer had established himself, having exhibited his first picture at the Royal Academy in 1906. In Kirkcudbright Oppenheimer became a leading member of the local community; he became a member of the Town Council in 1913 and later served as a special constable. Charles spent over 50 years recording the local natural and built environment here, including painting a number of large canvases depicting the construction of the dams for the Galloway Power scheme in the early 1930s.  His railway posters also brought his work to public attention. He exhibited regularly both at the Royal Academy and Royal Scottish Academy, where he became a full member in 1934. 

See some of Charles’ eye-catching artwork.