Tag: National Gallery

Edinburgh Fringe Showcase for Local Creatives

Nearly 80 independent designers will descend on National Galleries Scotland: National in Edinburgh this weekend for a showcase of creative talent.

In what is their debut capital city event, Tea Green Events are holding their first ever market at the beautiful venue from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August, returning with their festive market in November.

The markets’ arrival in Edinburgh is a fitting end to the Scottish company’s record-breaking run of summer markets to celebrate their 10th anniversary.    Markets have also been held at Aberdeen Art Gallery, The Burrell Collection and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, V&A Dundee and Bowhouse in Fife.

Specialising in carefully curated markets within some of Scotland’s most stunning creative spaces, Tea Green Events was launched by Dundee jeweller Joanne MacFadyen who is holding a record 20 markets across Scotland this year, driven by increased demand from independent makers and the public.

Joanne said, “Our arrival at the National in Edinburgh represents a huge milestone for Tea Green Events and is a fitting finale to end our biggest ever summer run of markets which have been absolutely amazing.

“It’s extra special to be working within such a prestigious space in a superb location, a prospect I know the artists and designers are just as excited by.

“Because of the huge number of tourists visiting Edinburgh at this time, it’s a real privilege to be showcasing the very best of Scottish craftsmanship, beautiful hand-crafted pieces of work made by some truly talented individuals.

“We’ll have everything from jewellery and prints to knitwear, letterpress stationery and ceramics, truly something for everyone!”

One of the designers preparing to set out her stall is Fiona McIntosh of Edinburgh-based Tessuti Scotland, who makes a range of hand-dyed and silk-screened accessories.

Fiona, who launched her business in 1985, said, “I’ve been involved with Tea Green right from the beginning and, although I used to exhibit in London, the Tea Green markets have replaced the need to do that. In fact, they have become my main platform for face-to-face selling.

“When you work alone, it’s always brilliant to get out there and meet new people. It also reminds you why you do what you do!  As well as positioning me in front of my target audience, they’re a great way to make new business connections and meet other creatives including local stockists who are looking for new lines to sell in their shops.”

Meanwhile, Jo Walker of Jo Walker Ceramics, who originally studied jewellery design at Edinburgh College of Art, added, “Tea Green markets have made a huge difference to the way craft is portrayed in Scotland.

“In the past, art and craft have been viewed as two distinct things, with art on a pedestal and craft seen as something you tinker away with at a kitchen table. The markets have boosted the status of craft and elevated it to a presence it deserves.

“People are starting to see how much goes into making things, how much skill is involved.”

Isabella Miller, Director of Audience at National Galleries of Scotland said, “We are so excited to welcome the Tea Green’s Summer Market and all of the amazing independent designers to the National.

“We are thrilled that we can offer the beautiful surroundings of the National gallery to showcase the talents of these incredible creatives and support Scottish businesses.

“We hope this will offer something a little different for our visitors to enjoy and that people will pop in to browse the stalls then explore the art. There will be something for everyone to discover during a day out at the National!”

For more information about Tea Green Markets and the programme of events, visit https://www.teagreen.co.uk/

World-renowned painting by John Singer Sargent comes home to Edinburgh

One of the most celebrated paintings by world-renowned artist John Singer Sargent (1856 –1925) – Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1864 – 32) – is welcomed home to National Galleries Scotland: National. The much-loved painting is back on display and free to visit now.

With the painting’s exciting arrival back in Edinburgh also comes a name change for this landmark portrait. The painting was on a major international tour as one of the star attractions of the Sargent and Fashion exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Tate Britain, London.

Following its return, the portrait has been given a fuller name – Gertrude Vernon, Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1864 – 1932). By including her first name, this fascinating sitter can finally be recognised as an individual in her own right, beyond her status as the wife of Baronet Andrew Noel Agnew of Lochnaw.

National Galleries of Scotland is about to release a new book on the painting on 23 September, which is available to pre-order now at Lady Agnew: A Painting by John Singer Sargent (paperback) (nationalgalleries.org).

Sargent’s dazzling and unforgettable image of Gertrude Vernon is one of the most instantly recognisable portraits of fashionable London society.

For both the artist and his sitter, the painting was an instant success, reviving Sargent’s reputation as the portrait painter of choice for the London elite and immediately transforming the newly elevated Gertrude Vernon into a society celebrity.

Sargent’s image of Gertrude Vernon helped her to become a leading light in fashionable circles, holding lavish salons in her London home. Ironically, the high costs of this hospitality meant that she was eventually forced to sell some family pictures including this portrait which was purchased by National Galleries of Scotland, after Sargent’s death, in 1925.

The confident gaze and relaxed posture of Gertrude Vernon was unusual in contemporary portraiture. The spontaneous feel of the image was enhanced further by the fluid and sweeping brushwork.

More conventional portraits of respectable women had the sitters gazing downward, off to the side, or upon another person or object in the painting. To have a lady sit and stare at the viewer was unconventional, but it was enthusiastically received as bold and beautiful.

Gertrude Vernon was around 26 at the time of the painting and is believed to have walked into the studio one day and slumped herself down in the chair. Sargent liked to capture the most naturalistic pose for his sitters and so he decided to paint her portrait exactly as she appeared that day.

The exact circumstances behind the commission are not known, but the Agnews may have met the artist through mutual American friends. According to notes in her husband’s diary, work on the portrait progressed swiftly, and Sargent later recalled that it was painted in just 6 sittings.

Gertrude Vernon is shown seated in a Louis XVI chair against the backdrop of a Chinese silk hanging, both of which were standard props in Sargent’s studio.

She is reported to have been of frail health; she recovered slowly from a severe bout of influenza in 1890 and was apparently still suffering from exhaustion when she sat for Sargent. There are brilliant passages of painting in the highlights, reflections and coloured shadows that show Sargent at his best as a painter of surfaces and textures.

Sargent was born in Florence and spent his childhood travelling across Europe with his wealthy American parents who restlessly followed the changing social seasons. In 1874 he entered the Paris studio of the stylish French portraitist, Carolus-Duran.

The young Sargent combined the flamboyant style of his teacher with his study of old masters such as Rembrandt and Velázquez but was also influenced by Monet and Impressionism.

His provocative and unconventional Portrait of Madame X caused a scandal at the Paris Salon exhibition in 1884; and, when Sargent settled in London in 1886, he initially found it difficult to find clients. However, his dashing technical mastery and confident manner were ideally suited for aristocratic patronage, and he soon won over his critics with his elegant, flattering portraits.

When his portrait of Gertrude Vernon was shown at the Royal Academy in 1893, one contemporary observed: ‘London is at his feet … he has had a cracking success.’

Dr Patricia Allerston, Deputy Director & Chief Curator of European & Scottish Art, National Galleries of Scotland said: “This fascinating painting is a favourite for many visitors, and we are delighted to have it back on display at the National.

“Sargent’s compelling portrait presents Lady Agnew as a real person with a very distinctive personality. Our aim in adjusting the portrait’s title is to give visitors a bit more information about this intriguing sitter.’

Free to visit: Gertrude Vernon, Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1864-1932) by John Singer Sargent | NGS CMS 2022 (nationalgalleries.org)

The National Galleries of Scotland celebrates the return of Antonio Canova’s The Three Graces

The National Galleries of Scotland celebrates the return of Antonio Canova’s The Three Graces to the National in Edinburgh, for the first time in eleven years.

Jointly owned with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, this extraordinary marble sculpture usually rotates between the two locations every seven years however was delayed due to the opening of the new Scottish galleries at the National.

Regarded internationally as an exquisite example of neoclassical European sculpture, this is an exciting opportunity for visitors to see the work in the heart of Edinburgh for free.

The sculpture represents Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia, the three daughters of Zeus and Eurynome according to Greek mythology.

The three graces are associated with Aphrodite (Venus) and embody qualities such as shared friendship or chastity, beauty and love.

The Monarch of the Glen moves to its new home 

ONE MONTH UNTIL OPENING OF NEW GALLERIES AT THE NATIONAL

One of the most celebrated paintings in the world – the iconic The Monarch of the Glen by Sir Edwin Landseer – is on the move to its new home.

With only one month to go until the opening of the new Scottish galleries at the National in Edinburgh, The Monarch of the Glen is one of over 130 exquisite art works taking up residence in the stunning new spaces.

A new free experience for everyone to discover, right in the heard of Edinburgh’s city centre, the new Scottish galleries at the National will open on 30 September. In contemporary and fresh spaces, the new galleries will showcase the very best historic Scottish art like never before. With 150 years of Scotland’s art to discover, visitors might recognise some much-loved favourites as they travel through the new galleries.

Painted in 1851, Landseer’s work of art famously depicts a proud stag imperiously surveying a majestic Highland landscape. Closely associated with Scotland, The Monarch of the Glen is an extremely powerful painting, and a rich source of debate about the issues of history and identity. Through its widespread use in commercial advertising and in popular culture, the iconic painting has become instantly recognisable today.

Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-73) was intoxicated by the Scottish Highlands. He first visited the country in 1824 and was overwhelmed and inspired by the experience of the landscape and its people.

The artist returned on sketching expeditions annually in late summer and the autumn, developing a particular affinity with the novelist Sir Walter Scott and his work. The resulting paintings range from intimate and remarkably fresh landscape studies, painted on the spot, to his most famous large-scale picture, The Monarch of the Glen. His works played a key role in formulating the deeply attractive and romantic image of the Highlands, which still resonates today. 

The Monarch of the Glen was originally intended as part a series of three works to be displayed in the House of Lords, but the scheme was never realised and the painting was sold to a private collector soon after its completion.

From the moment it was first exhibited in 1851 at the Royal Academy in London it proved immensely popular, and the admiration has continued right up to the present day. The work was widely reproduced in the nineteenth century, especially through steel engravings, and in 1916 it was purchased by Sir Thomas Dewar. From that point it was regularly used as a marketing image, first by Pears Soap, then by John Dewar & Sons Distillery and Glenfiddich, and later by Nestlé and Baxter’s soup.

Following a four-month fundraising campaign, the painting was acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland in March 2017, with overwhelming support from the public, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund, private trusts and foundations, Scottish Government acquisition grant funding and by a part gift by previous owners Diageo Scotland Ltd.

Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, Sir John Leighton, said: “Landseer’s The Monarch of the Glen is one of the most potent and familiar images associated with Scotland. The proud stag is recognisable across the world from his long career in marketing, adorning just about every kind of product imaginable, from soap and whisky to countless shortbread tins.

“Today, it remains a compelling and contested image, viewed by some as the ultimate evocation of the romance of the Highlands, by others as a gloss on the harsh realities of life in the Scottish countryside in the 19th century. Love it or hate it, no one can deny that it is an extraordinary, powerful painting. You are warmly invited to see this incredible work of art in its new setting at the National.”

As well as The Monarch of the Glen, the new Scottish galleries at the National will be home to work by artists from across Scotland, including the West, Highlands, Islands, Scottish Borders, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Large windows will offer spectacular views of Princes Street Gardens, enticing visitors to come inside and experience the artists who created the images of Scotland the world knows today.

Discover the work of pioneering Scottish artists such as William McTaggart, Anne Redpath, Phoebe Anna Traquair, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Boys.

Artwork by over 500 talented Scottish young artists is now being showcased in Scotland’s National gallery

Your Art World

FREE

National Galleries of Scotland: National

24 June 2023 – 14 April 2024

Visitors to the National can now explore the spectacular Your Art World exhibition, showcasing the artwork of creative 3–18-year-olds from Scotland. The nationwide call out has inspired over 500 incredible young artists from across the country to get involved.

The Your Art World project aims to engage with young people and encourage them to think and act more creatively. Having uploaded their creations digitally to National Galleries of Scotland’s website, the artwork is now proudly displayed on screens at the National.

The young people could be as imaginative as they liked and use any type of materials for their creations, resulting in a superb collection of artworks. The exhibition is a celebration of what happens when young people are encouraged to be wildly imaginative with no limitations.

Your World celebration day at the National Galleries.

Four community and school groups, from the Scottish Highlands to the Borders, also worked alongside the National Galleries of Scotland to create physical installations. Groups involved included Dounby Community School and Nursery, secondary schools from across the Scottish Borders and Granton Primary.

A group of children and their families from PAMIS, an organisation in Scotland working with people with profound and multiple learning disabilities for a better life, are also featured.

The result is a creation of extraordinary displays ranging from environmentally inspired projects made with rubbish collected from the shores of Orkney to stunning paintings, drawings, and 3D sculptures, along with sensory led artwork by the PAMIS group.

Families and young people inspired by the creativity will also be able to get involved in making their own creations in the galleries this Summer. With a specially created ‘make and share’ area allowing them to produce and upload their own work to the website. There is also the added bonus of having their artwork added to the digital showcase on the screens.

Your World celebration day at the National Galleries.

Siobhan McConnachie, Head of Learning and Engagement, National Galleries of Scotland, said: “I feel so excited and proud to be showcasing the artwork of the talented young artists of Scotland.

“The response has been truly inspiring and we have been so impressed with everyone’s creativity. The Your Art World project is incredibly important to us at National Galleries of Scotland as it hands over the creative process to young people and celebrates their work.

“Art has its place in every school, home and young person’s life, whether that be encouraging people to think creatively, use it as an expressive outlet or simply for some fun, this project and exhibition celebrates that art really is for everyone.”

Your World celebration day at the National Galleries.

Dounby Community School Head Teacher, Islean Gibson, said: “Being part of such an amazing gallery exhibition has given everyone here at Dounby School such a sense of pride and motivation.

“Sharing our thoughts and ideas as part of a national project has really inspired our whole school community. The power of creation will have a lasting legacy.

“It makes me swell with pride every day seeing just how impactful creativity can be for a wee school and its community. I would wholeheartedly recommend everyone take that step into Your Art World and see where it takes you!”

The exhibition is part of a wider Your Art World project which aims to engage and encourage young people in the world of art. With online resources available for teachers and families to support children in art-based activities, the project encourages everyone to get involved no matter ability or knowledge. By providing tools and guidance, Your Art World demystifies the creative process and makes art accessible to everyone.

The exhibition is made possible thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who have raised more than £5 million awarded by Postcode Culture Trust to support National Galleries of Scotland.

All submissions can be viewed via the online gallery and will also be displayed digitally at the National until 14 April 2024.