Fine Art

The University has an impressive collection of fine art, focusing mainly on Scottish painters of the 19th and 20th century, but also including major English artists such as Gainsborough and Rossetti. For a complete list of artists in the collection, please click here.

Listed below is a selection of some of the University Fine Art Collection in artist order. Each is linked to an image of the picture and some information about the artist.

For further details contact Matthew Jarron, Curator.

You can see more of our fine art collection by visiting our Exhibitions page.

We also have contemporary artworks in the Scottish Arts Council Bequest and the Alan Woods Bequest, and an expanding collection of works by former students at Duncan of Jordanstone College.

For a complete list of artists in our collections, please click here

Henry Young Alison (1889-1972)

Joseph Johnston Lee, 1921

Joseph J Lee (1876-1949) was born and died in Dundee. He worked as a journalist in London for some twenty-five years after the First World War, in which he served in the Black Watch and the K.R.R.C. He wrote three books of war verses and a volume of prisoner-of-war reminiscences and, a line artist of talent, illustrated them himself. He was an amateur of musicology and a book collector, and his books have been given to the University by his widow Mrs Dorothy (Barrie) Lee, who was herself formerly well known as a viola player.

Henry Alison was on the staff of the Glasgow school of Art 1928-1946. He was Registrar from about 1930 and acted as Director for a period after the retirement of Sir William Hutchison on 1943. He exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy for many years.

The painting originally owned by Mrs Lee the subjects widow, was subsequently in the hand of James McIntosh Patrick who donated it to the University in 1974.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:2

David Allan (1744-1796)

James Abercromby (Lord Dunfermline) as an Infant, 1779

A Scottish portrait and genre painter. Allan spent the years between 1764-1773 in Italy at the academy of St Luke in Rome, where he won the prize for history painting. In 1780 he settled in Edinburgh, painting portraits and conversation pieces. During his time in Europe he made studies of French and Italian peasants and used them in his painting of Scottish life. This gave him the misleading title of being the Scottish Hogarth.

James Abercromby, first Baron Dunfermline, 1776-1858, third son of General Sir Ralph Abercromby (victor of the battle of Alexandria in 1801); barrister, judge and parliamentarian; speaker of the House of Commons 1835-39; Baron Dunfermline in the peerage of the United Kingdom 1839; Dean of Faculties in the University of Glasgow 1841-44. He is three years old in this child portrait.

The picture was owned originally by the Lords of Dunfermline. Subsequently it was in the possession of Mrs Mary Trotter. It was Purchased by the University in 1965.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:3

Edward Burra (1905-1976)

Christ Mocked, 1950-2

One of the most distinctive artists of the 20th century, Burra battled against ill health throughout his life. His inspirations stretched from Dada to his local cinemas and music halls. His deep distress at the Spanish Civil War probably contributed to the violent and distrurbing qualities in many of his paintings.

The University acquired this superb example of Burra's work in 1965. It remains the copyright of the artist's estate.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:7

Francis Cadell (1883-1937)

Cecilia No 2, 1912

One of the leading Scottish Colourists, Cadell was born in Edinburgh and studied at the RSA Schools before going to Paris in 1889. Arthur Melville was a close friend of Cadell's father and suggested that he train in Paris. Cadell spent eight years there, returning to Edinburgh in 1909. He was initially influenced by McTaggart and Whistler and later by Matisse and the Fauves.

This was in the collection of John Millar RSA and was purchased by the University in 1970.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:8

Walter Crane (1854-1915)

Poppy Time, 1893

Crane was born in Liverpool and apprenticed to W J Luton. He painted portraits, figure and landscape paintings and designed numerous illustrations for children's books. Crane was influenced by Burne-Jones and the Pre-Raphaelites and he was associated with William Morris in the Socialist League.

This painting was purchased from Christie's in 1926 by Dr James Nicoll. Dr Nicoll donated his collection to the University in 1951

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:19

James Douglas (1858-1911)

View of Dundee (from) Harbour, 1888

A Dundee painter. The painting Dundee from the Harbour bears the date 1888. Douglas was then 30 and the painting was done in a studio at York Place, Edinburgh. The picture was exhibited at the RSA annual exhibition 1889 and was for sale at the then astronomical price of £160. The picture was new and many photographic prints were made, They were printed in Germany by the Berlin photographic company of London and published by Robert Scott of Dundee

Donated to the University by Miss Greta Douglas in 1970.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:25

John Duncan (1866-1945)

The Glaive of Light, 1897

Duncan was the foremost of the Celtic revivalists with the designer ceramicist Phoebe Traquair at Edinburgh. He was a great influence on George Dutch Davidson and the work they produced in their shared Dundee studio during the summer of 1898-1899 clearly shows this.

Possibly donated to the University by Professor Patrick Geddes (1854-1932). Professor of Botany in University College, Dundee 1888-1920, who was a friend of the artist.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:28

Celtic Mythological Subject (Monaltri?), 1898

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:27

Alfred East (1849-1913)

Chateau de Nemours 1884

Alfred East was born in Kettering, Northants, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art and later in Paris under Tony Fleury and Bongereau. He studied in London in 1883 and in his day enjoyed a great reputation. East's landscape style was influenced by the Barbizon painters Corot, Danbiging and Rousseau, particularly in his distinctive pale browns and green.

Bought from Christie's by Dr Nicoll, who donated it to the University.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:31

William Etty (1787-1849)

The Wise & Foolish Virgins

William Etty scandalised early 19th century society with his sensuous portraits of female nudes. He quickly found that by choosing religious subjects such as this (a parable from Matthew 23), he was able to include as many semi-clad women as he liked without censure!

At nearly 10 feet high, this is the largest of three Ettys owned by the University. It was bought by Dr James Nicoll in 1924 and donated to the University in 1951.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:34

George Wilkie Gahan (1871-1956)

Seated Female Figure

Born in Newcastle, Gahan studied art at Dundee. From his home in Broughty Ferry he painted many coastal views, shipyard scenes and landscapes. This picture remains the copyright of the artist's estate.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:45

George Henry (1858-1943)

La Japonaise

A leading member of the Glasgow School, Henry worked closely with William York MacGregor and E A Hornel. A visit to Japan in 1893 was to have a considerable influence on his future work.

This painting came to the University as part of the Knox bequest in 1980.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:57

Sir Herbert Hughes-Stanton (1870-1937)

Noon, Avignon, France 1918

Bought from Sotheby's by Dr James Nicoll in 1926.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:61

Robert Gemmel Hutchison (1855-1936)

Playing on the Rocks, Carnoustie

A Scottish painter who remains surprisingly unresearched. A chronology of his work has been difficult to establish precisely as few of his pictures are dated. His favourite locations were Carnoustie and Machrihanish and he concentrated almost exclusively, in the later part of his career, on small children playing on the sea shore - a favourite matter of McTaggart. Although Hutchison's treatment was influenced by the nineteenth century Hague School.

Purchased by the University with assistance from the Scottish Arts Council and the National Fund for Acquisitions.

Collection Reference Number: DUNUC ARTS:64

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