The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) have announced a major acquisition of paintings and drawings from the private collection of producer and director Charlie Nairn.
Comprising works produced by artists at the forefront of the Scottish Modernist movement in the early 20th century, the new additions to the museum’s collection showcase the important role of the nation’s art schools in nurturing young talent.
Totalling an impressive assortment of 58 artworks, the NGS has acquired major pieces produced by distinguished Scottish artists including William McCance, James Cowie, Edward Baird, and William Crosbie.
This acquisition was facilitated through the HM Government Acceptance in Lieu scheme, which allows owners to transfer important works of art into the public domain in place of tax. Many of the newly acquired works demonstrate the NGS’ commitment to expanding the museum’s holdings and increasing public access to national art.
Nairn, a Scottish television producer and the director behind Coronation Street, assembled this impressive collection of modern Scottish and British art after working as an assistant to photographer Oscar Marzoroli. Though initially interested in European Modernism, under the influence of Oscar and Anne Marzoroli, he was encouraged to direct his attention towards Scottish practitioners.
The pieces in this collection draw inspiration from both internal and external sources, presenting a diverse body of Scottish art with an international perspective. From the nascent ‘Scottish Renaissance’ that inspired Baird’s paintings, to the impact of the Surrealist movement in Crosbie’s later work, this acquisition demonstrates the thriving and porous influences on early modern art in Scotland and the United Kingdom.
Explore a selection of these captivating works, on display now and free to visit, at National Galleries Scotland: Modern One. This cross-section of 20 pieces displays a series of intimate portraits under the subject of the ‘Modern Figure.’
Through this series of striking paintings is revealed an interconnected group of artists. Among the display are paintings by John Cowie and his compatriots Charles Baillie and Alberto Morrocco, with the latter studying beneath Cowie to produce an exceptional Still Life with Plaster Bust and Measuring Tape.
Viewers also get an insight into the artists’ working practices as well as their finished outcomes. One such example is William McCance’s Group from a Dream, whose fragmented composition and bold arcing lines are shown to be revised in a series of preliminary drawings. Equally, James Cowie’s meticulous perfectionism is put under the spotlight in his Studies for A Portrait Group. A must-see in this exhibit is the rare surviving record of Cowie’s first wife, Nancy Buchanan, in her delicate portrait The Reader.
Through this acquisition, the National Galleries of Scotland continue their push towards displaying the best of the nation’s art and marks a delightful, culturally important extension to their current collection.
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