A Life Amongst Stillness: The World of William Gowe Ferguson William Gouw (or Gow, or Gowe) Ferguson remains a somewhat enigmatic figure in the landscape of 17th-century art, yet his quiet mastery of still life painting secured him a respected place amongst his contemporaries. Born around 1632/3 in Scotland—a nation not particularly renowned for its artistic output at that time—Ferguson’s journey took him far from his homeland and int…