Works at the National Galleries of Scotland

International Surrealist Exhibition, London, 1936

National Galleries of Scotland

Unknown - 1936 - 1998. Surrealism erupted onto the British art scene with the ‘International Surrealist Exhibition’ in 1936. The show was organised primarily by David Gascoyne and Roland Penrose together with Herbert Read. The selection of work by British artists was difficult as no formal British surrealist group existed. However, over 390 paintings, sculptures and objects by sixty-eight artists were chosen. Works were hung in double or triple rows, alternating large and small paintings. Ethnographic sculptures and found objects were interspersed throughout. Intriguingly Salvador Dalí attempted to deliver a lecture whilst wearing a deep-sea diver’s suit and holding two hounds on a leash, but he had to be rescued after nearly suffocating. During its three-week run the exhibition attracted over 23,000 visitors.

Star (from the portfolio ‘Dear Stieglitz’)

National Galleries of Scotland

Marina Abramovic - 1994. This photograph relates to a performance called ‘Lips of Thomas’ from 1973, in which the artist tested her physical endurance. In the manner of offering herself as a ritual sacrifice, Abramovic ate a kilogram of honey, drank a litre of red wine, and cut a five-pointed star into her stomach with a razor blade. She then whipped herself until she could no longer feel any pain and finally lay on a cross made of ice. The photograph is from a portfolio called ‘Dear Stieglitz,’ named in homage to Alfred Stieglitz, the photographer and gallery owner who published the art-photography journal ‘Camera Work’ in the early Twentieth century. The portfolio features the work of artists whose photography ‘shows an obvious, personal and also very outspoken attitude towards their surroundings.’© Courtesy of the Artist and Sean Kelly Gallery, New York., 2006

John Miller Gray, 1850 - 1894. Art critic and first curator of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

National Galleries of Scotland

Patrick William Adam, John Miller Gray - 1885. From the age of sixteen Gray worked in a bank as an apprentice clerk, but found the work ‘utterly repugnant’ and studied literature and art in his spare time. After ten years as a freelance art critic he was appointed the first curator of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in 1884. His main task was the systematic cataloguing of the national collection of portraits, something for which he received great praise. His numerous publications include a book on George Manson, a Scottish artist whose self-portrait is thought to be the right-most painting in the background, the other two depicting Burns and Scott. Friendly but somewhat reserved in character, Gray lived in Edinburgh all his life and never married. After his premature death he left nearly all he owned to the Portrait Gallery.

Cullen Castle, Banffshire

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adam - about 1770 - 1780. Adam deliberately chose a low viewpoint to emphasise the height of the single span bridge, built by his father in 1744. Elegant trees frame the composition, underlining its picturesque character. Figures provide a sense of scale and human interest, and the play of light and shadow brings the scene to life. Adam described the chief details in pen and ink and used grey washes to define volume, space and atmospheric light. He made hundreds of drawings throughout his career, exploring the relationship between buildings and settings, which informed his own architectural designs.

Queen Elizabeth, 1900 - 2002, Queen Elizabeth II, b. 1926 and George VI, 1895 - 1952

National Galleries of Scotland

Marcus Adams, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, George VI - about 1928. This photograph was not available for public viewing in the lifetime of Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) as she did not like it and considered it too informal. However, Mrs I. L. Hunter, who was then the photographer, Marcus Adams’ assistant, enjoyed it and made a print for her own pleasure. Far from damaging the public image of the monarchy, it shows one happy family: a slightly shy George VI, then still The Duke of York; his radiant wife; and a happy little girl having the giggles, yet to become Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.© Photograph by Marcus Adams, Camera Press London

John Adamson's Dog, Blanche (with Dr. Oswald Home Bell, 1835 - 1875, in the background)

National Galleries of Scotland

John Adamson, Dr. Oswald Home Bell - about 1855. In his later work in the 1850s and 60s, John Adamson used the collodion negative. He wrote: 'This is the most beautiful of all photographic processes. Pictures are taken by it almost instantaneously, with a minuteness of detail and a delicacy of expression which give results no less wonderful than beautiful.' In this photograph of his greyhound, Blanche, only her flickering ear betrays her energy.

Professor James Syme, 1799-1870. Surgeon

National Galleries of Scotland

John Adamson, Professor James Syme - about 1855. One of the leading surgeons in Europe of his day, Professor James Syme was Chair of Clinical Surgery at Edinburgh University from 1833 until 1869. He was renowned for his pioneering surgery involving amputations, and the speed with which his operations were carried out. He once reported: "I cut along the bone, which started, with a loud report, from its socket. Finally, I passed the knife around the head of the bone, cutting the remaining portion of the ligament, and this completed the operation, which certainly did not occupy at the most more than one minute." This photograph by John Adamson looks yellow because of the printing process used. Albumen, or pure egg white, was used to coat the paper and create a smooth surface. Unfortunately it often yellows over time.

Robert Adamson, 1821 - 1848. Calotypist

National Galleries of Scotland

John Adamson, Robert Adamson - about 1843. This very early calotype by John Adamson shows his younger brother, the photographer Robert Adamson. Despite both being pioneering photographers, Robert became the more famous of the two due to his partnership with the painter David Octavius Hill. Having been taught the calotype process by his brother, in 1843 Robert opened his own photographic studio on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Shortly afterwards he met Hill and their successful working relationship led to a period of close collaboration, during which they produced an impressive body of work that greatly influenced later practice in photography. This photograph shows the artistic influence of Sir Henry Raeburn in the use of light and shadow, focusing attention on the head and hand of the sitter.

St Andrews 1842

National Galleries of Scotland

John Adamson, Robert Adamson - 1842. This small picture may be the result of the photography lessons that John Adamson was giving to his younger brother, Robert, using particular spots in the town of St Andrews. After a long struggle with the difficult chemistry of the calotype process, Dr John Adamson took his first successful portrait calotype in May 1842 and continued to develop this technique until he could obtain clear and strong images. The success of this photograph is in itself a remarkable technical achievement.

92nd Gordon Highlanders at Edinburgh Castle

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill - April 1846. Soldiers know how to stand still for long periods and for that reason were often used as life models by artists. To show them as men of action was more difficult. The blur in this photograph is deliberate and gives an impression of movement. Hill 'would during the exposure give his camera an almost imperceptible jerk' to achieve this effect. The artist preferred the blur of the calotype to the more precise daguerreotype because the former looked like 'the imperfect work of a man' and the latter like 'the much diminished perfect work of god'.

Alexander Rutherford, William Ramsay and John Liston

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, John Liston, William Ramsay, Alexander Rutherford - 1843 - 1847. One of Hill and Adamson’s calotypes of Newhaven and its inhabitants, this powerful portrait shows three self-confident fishermen in a relaxed pose in front of one of the boats. The way in which they form a solid, mutually supportive group gives a sense of the close-knit social structure of this independent fishing community. Dressed in individual-looking hats, their clothes are shaped and battered by their work at sea, which was highly-skilled and dangerous but profitable. The Newhaven men worked from open boats, close to the shore as well as further out on open sea. Every year during the herring season, they moved 200 miles north to Wick for six to eight weeks, often rowing the entire distance.

Charles William Peach, 1800 - 1886. Coastguard; naturalist and geologist

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Charles William Peach - 1844. Charles Peach was a mounted coastguard officer and a distinguished amateur naturalist and geologist. As a coastguard he had plenty of opportunity to study marine life and as a result he discovered new mollusca, sea urchins, starfish, sponges and a spectacular holothurian – or sea cucumber – with twenty tentacles. In 1853 he made an important fossil discovery in limestone on the coast near Durness. Peach had a wide circle of scientific and literary friends, including the famous geological writer Hugh Miller. This calotype is one of the more successful portraits taken by Hill and Adamson at the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in York, in the autumn of 1844.

David Octavius Hill and Professor James Miller. Known as 'The Morning After "He greatly daring dined"'

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, David Octavius Hill, Professor James Miller - about 1845. This image demonstrates the complexity of Hill's compositions. It is a joke about his own hangover and a warning about the after-effects of unreasonable alcohol consumption, from which the Roman bust appears to be turning away in disgust. Hill's wrist is held by the surgeon and anatomist, Professor James Miller, who stares reproachfully at the embarrassed artist. From letters we know that Hill liked his ale and frequented literary and artistic gatherings where 'the wit and intelligence improved with the quantity of drink and the lateness of the hour'.

George Combe, 1788 - 1858. Phrenologist

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, George Combe, David Octavius Hill - about 1843. George Combe worked briefly as a lawyer and a brewer before devoting his career to the promotion of phrenology; a pseudo-science which explored the relation between the shape of someone’s skull and their personality, intelligence and economic prospects. Although even at the time many people doubted the ‘scientific’ evidence for such assumptions, Combe believed that phrenology was ‘the greatest and most important discovery ever communicated to mankind’. He published widely on the subject, and his book ‘The Constitution of Man’ became something of a bestseller. In 1833 he married Cecilia Siddons, but only after subjecting both himself and his future bride to a phrenological examination in order to find out if the match was a suitable one.

Harriet Farnie and Miss Farnie with a Sleeping Puppy, Brownie

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Jessie Bertram, Harriet Farnie, Miss Farnie, David Octavius Hill - 1920 (original negative around 1845). This is one of four calotypes of young girls with David Octavius Hill’s dog, a terrier pup called Brownie. The girls depicted are the Farnie sisters; the eldest one, Annie, protectively holding the younger, Harriet, who is pretending to be asleep. Sleeping children were a recurring theme in nineteenth-century art, as it played on the Victorian fascination with childhood innocence and death. The image is clear and well-defined, which means that the girls must have sat very still for anything from several seconds up to a minute. Although the calotype was taken in the 1840s, this particular print was produced in the photography studio of Jessie Bertram around 1920. In total, 49 ‘new’ prints were made from the original negatives and were subsequently published as an album.

Horatio McCulloch, 1805 - 1867. Landscape painter

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Horatio McCulloch - 1843 - 1846. This calotype shows the painter Horatio McCulloch, who is best known for his magnificent views of the Scottish Highlands. He was born in Glasgow and named after the great naval hero, Lord (Horatio) Nelson, who had died only weeks earlier at the battle of Trafalgar. McCulloch studied art under John Knox and briefly worked as a snuff-box decorator before moving to Edinburgh. He quickly established himself as a respectable landscape painter, exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy from 1829 and was elected an associate in 1834. By the 1840s, his standing as an artist was equal to Hill’s, but his later career established him as the better painter. His large-scale paintings of Scottish scenery helped shape the Victorian perception of the Highlands as a wild, romantic place.

Hugh Miller, 1802 - 1856. Geologist and author

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Hugh Miller - 1843. Hugh Miller began his working life as a mason. After a number of career changes, he became the editor of The Witness newspaper in the 1840s. One of the first to pose for Hill and Adamson, he also wrote a pioneering critical article on the possibilities of photography in 1843. Miller is here shown as a stone mason, as he had been in earlier life.

Isabella Burns, Mrs John Begg, 1771 - 1858. Youngest sister of Robert Burns

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Isabella Burns, Mrs John Begg, David Octavius Hill - 1843 - 1846. Isabella Burns Begg was the youngest sister of the poet, Robert Burns. There was a striking resemblance between the two. Robert Burns died before photography was established but through this vivid portrait of his sister, we get an idea of how he might have looked in old age. Isabella was widowed young and raised nine children single-handed. In later years, she was given a picturesque cottage where she lived almost as a monument to her brother, entertaining hoards of visitors from the United Kingdom, the Continent and America.

James Nasmyth, 1808 - 1890. Inventor of the steam hammer

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, James Nasmyth - about 1844. This is one of a number of calotypes showing James Nasmyth, the son of the painter Alexander Nasmyth and a close friend of D.O. Hill, in a reflective mood. He was an engineer and invented the steam hammer and pile driver, which revolutionised industry and engineering work, from the docks of Glasgow to Russia and the Nile. He took a keen interest in photography as he considered it "a delightful means of educating the eye for artistic feeling, as well as educating the hands in delicate manipulation".

John Murray, 1808-1892. Publisher

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, John Murray - . Born in London, Murray spent a year at Edinburgh University in 1827 studying geology and mineralogy. Whilst he was there he explored much of the Scottish landscape and made meticulous notes. The following year he became involved in the family publishing business. From trips to the continent, which he began in 1829, Murray started to build up detailed accounts of the countries he visited. He began publishing these as a series of ‘Handbooks’ in 1836. These proved extremely popular and within fifteen years the range covered nearly the whole continent. The company, under his leadership, also published many notable authors including explorer David Livingstone and naturalist Charles Darwin.

Lady Elizabeth (Rigby) Eastlake, 1809 - 1893. Writer

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Lady Elizabeth (Rigby) Eastlake, David Octavius Hill - about 1845. Elizabeth Rigby was a journalist and art critic, writing for journals such as The Quarterly Review. As one of the earliest enthusiasts for photography, she posed more than twenty times for Hill and Adamson. In a review of their work in 1846, she referred to 'the beautiful and wonderful Calotype drawings...as the triumphant proof of all to be most revered as truth in art'.

Marion Finlay, Mrs Margaret (Dryburgh) Lyall and Mrs Grace (Finlay) Ramsay. Called 'The Letter'

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Marion Finlay, David Octavius Hill, Mrs Margaret (Dryburgh) Lyall, Mrs Grace (Finlay) Ramsay - 1843 - 1847. ‘The Letter’ is one of about 120 calotypes by Hill and Adamson of the fishing port of Newhaven, to the north of Edinburgh. Carefully arranged and all taken out of doors, these photographs explore the life, work and social structure of this small but independent community. This particular one shows three fishwives examining a letter, a familiar theme in art that was often used by seventeenth-century Dutch painters. The letter effectively focuses the attention of the women, whilst leaving us to speculate about its content and sender. At the time, the new penny post enabled the literate working classes to communicate properly across distance for the first time, a matter of great importance to the fishwives whose men often faced dangerous situations at sea.

Mohun Lal, aged 28 in 1844

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Mohum Lal - October 1844. Mohun Lal arrived in Edinburgh in October 1844. He had been the companion of the government agent, Sir Alexander Burnes (1805-1841), in Kabul in Afghanistan. After his death, Mohun Lal had 'at the risk of his life entered Sir Alexander's mansion when it was in flames and secured his private papers', and travelled to Scotland to return them to Burnes's family in Montrose. The newspaper report added: 'He has a remarkably pleasant and highly intellectual cast of countenance, and is dressed in a magnificent Hindoo costume'.

Mr Laing or Laine

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Mr Laing or Lane - 1843. The identity of the smartly dressed tennis player in this staged scene is uncertain and yet this calotype has become a popular picture postcard. Hill and Adamson are best remembered for the subtlety and perceptiveness of their photographic portraits but at times they showed a keenness for the representation of movement. Here movement is easy to detect in the blur of the racket and the man's forearm. The player's intense gaze furthermore suggests that a tennis ball just just gone out of the picture frame.

Mrs Anne (Palgrave) Rigby, 1777 - 1872

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Mrs Anne (Palgrave) Rigby - 1843 - 1846. Anne Rigby was the widowed wife of a doctor and had fourteen children. While living in Edinburgh in the 1840s, she and her daughters were photographed on a number of occasions by Hill and Adamson. This photograph bears a striking resemblance to Whistler's famous portrait of his mother, which is not at all surprising given that the two ladies were friends. Mrs Whistler may have owned a copy of this calotype of Mrs Rigby.

Mrs Barbara (Johnstone) Flucker

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Mrs Barbara (Johnstone) Flucker, David Octavius Hill - . Mrs Barbara Flucker was a fishwife of Newhaven, then an independent fishing village to the north of Edinburgh where Hill and Adamson took some 120 calotypes. Hill had a great affection of women as independent individuals, something which is demonstrated by the large number of calotypes of women he took and the dignity they convey. He admired the Newhaven fishwives for their strong and heroic character, their hardworking nature and the way in which they coped with the dangerous conditions their husbands faced every day. Whilst the men were out at sea the women prepared the fish and carried them into town in baskets like the one in the photograph. Here, Mrs Barbara Flucker is opening oysters, the contents of which were sold on the street as a kind of snack food.

Mrs Elizabeth (Johnstone) Hall, Newhaven fishwife

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Mrs Elizabeth (Johnstone) Hall, David Octavius Hill - 1843 - 1846. The fishwives of Newhaven were famous for both their beauty and confidence. They carried the fish their men had caught in baskets on their backs up to Edinburgh to sell it. Whenever storms at sea made the fishing especially dangerous and the price of fish rose, they were heard saying "It's no fish ye're buying, it's men's lives". The phrase became internationally known after Sir Walter Scott used it in his novel, 'The Antiquary'.

Newhaven boy ('King Fisher' or 'His Faither's Breeks')

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill - 1843 - 1847. This is the only Newhaven child shown alone in a calotype. The title, His Faither’s Breeks, implies that this boy is an orphan and has inherited his father’s trousers, as well as his work and responsibilities. Fishing was a profitable but dangerous profession, and children whose fathers had been drowned at sea were not uncommon. Hill and Adamson took about 120 calotypes in the fishing village of Newhaven, documenting the life and work of its inhabitants. The fishing community was self-sufficient and close-knit; fishermen and women married amongst themselves and raised their children in the fishing tradition. Founded around 1570, the Society of Free Fishermen played a large role in the community, providing help in times of need and protecting the widows and orphans.

Sandy (or James) Linton, his boat and bairns

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Sandy (or James) Linton - 1843 - 1846. Hill and Adamson took about 120 photographs of fishing life at Newhaven and intended to publish them in a separate album. They admired the strength of the fishermen and their families, flourishing even in times of great economic difficulty. Boys learned from their fathers how to manage the small, open boats, which travelled a hundred miles up the east coast to the summer fishing grounds. As it turned out later, the design of the boats was particularly dangerous. A disastrous storm in the 1840s killed men from the north but no one from Newhaven.

Sir John Steell, 1804 - 1891. Sculptor

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Sir John Steell - about 1845. This portrait is a suitable model of Romantic practice in photography. The body of the sculptor John Steell appears as a dark, undefined shape. His right hand, indicated by an edge of white cuff, is sunk in his coat, suggesting depth. His head and other hand are supported on an off-centre diagonal. The vague mottled background reinforces the 'romantic' effect.

Sophia Finlay and Harriet Farnie

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Harriet Farnie, Sophia Finlay, David Octavius Hill - 1843 - 1847. This is one of four calotypes of young girls with David Octavius Hill’s dog, a terrier pup called Brownie. The girls depicted are Sophia Finlay – Hill’s great-niece – and Harriet Farnie, the younger of two sisters. Sleeping children were a recurring theme in nineteenth-century art, as it played on the Victorian fascination with childhood innocence and death. The image is clear and well-defined, which means that the girls must have sat very still for anything from several seconds up to a minute. Presumably the dog had been played with until it collapsed in exhaustion. Hill later called this picture ‘The Sleepers’ and added ‘Brownie, my stolen and lamented terrier pup’.

St Andrews, North Street, Fishergate, Women and Children Baiting the Line

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill - about 1845. Around 1845 Hill and Adamson took a camera across the Firth of Forth to St Andrews, where they photographed the buildings in the harbour and the Fishergate. The width of North Street enabled them to capture a large and spread-out group of the fishwives and children, working outside their own houses. The high viewpoint indicates that the photograph was taken from one of the stairs opposite the women. The composition is impressive, with all individual figures appearing sharp and distinct. Most remarkably, the scene is given life by the central figure who is apparently striding across the street with a child on her arm. In reality, she would have had to stand motionless for at least a full minute in order not to appear blurred.

The Rev Thomas Chalmers and his Family at Merchiston Castle School

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, Rev. Thomas Chalmers, David Octavius Hill - 1844. A large camera, specially made by an Edinburgh instrument maker, was used to photograph the evangelical leader of the Free Church of Scotland with his family. We get an idea of Chalmers as both public and private figure. The sun seems to radiate through the man and illuminates the stone ball, the little world at his feet with the books of the Christian faith, symbolising his importance as a religious leader. At the same time, his family, gathered around him, remind us that he is a father and grandfather too.

The Royal High School, Edinburgh

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson - 17 May 1843. The Royal High School on Calton Hill was built in 1829 to a design by Thomas Hamilton. Used as a school until 1966, it has since been considered as a home for other institutions including the Scottish Parliament. The building stands close to Robert Adamson’s former studio on Calton Hill, which he shared with David Octavius Hill. This calotype was printed on 17 May 1843, the day before the Disruption within the Church of Scotland that would bring about Hill and Adamson’s famous partnership. Hill intended to paint a large-scale picture of all those present at this historic event, and the success of taking portrait photographs as memory aids resulted in the men’s close collaboration until Adamson’s untimely death in 1848.

The Scott Monument

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill - about 1845. The decision to build the Scott Monument was taken at a public meeting in Edinburgh less than a month after Sir Walter Scott's death in September 1832. The tall Gothic structure was not completed until the autumn of 1844 and the official inauguration took place only in August 1846. Hill and Adamson were lucky to be resident in Edinburgh and could document the building stages and the work of the masons. Here the monument is shown after its completion as an impressive feature bordering Princes Street, seen from the East End.

Unknown men (Newhaven)

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill - 1843 - 1847. Also known as ‘Men leaning on a Boat’, this calotype shows a group of Newhaven fishermen around one of their boats. Fishing was a profitable but highly skilled and hazardous business. The Newhaven men worked with the ‘small line’ to catch haddock, whiting and codling, and the ‘great line’ out at open sea. Every year during the herring season, they rowed 200 miles north to Wick, where they would fish during the night for six to eight weeks. After their strenuous and dangerous work at sea, they returned to land to rest. Cynical landlubbers would sometimes see the fishermen hanging around in the harbour and think of them as lazy, without understanding the difficult but irregular nature of their work.

Unknown officer and three mounted soldiers of the Leith Fort Artillery

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Major Wright - 1843 - 1847. This calotype by David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson shows a group of officers and soldiers from the Royal Artillery. It was taken within the walls of Leith Fort, which was located on North Fort Street in Leith. Built in 1779 by architect James Craig, the fort was used as an army base by the Royal Artillery until the early 1950s, when it was largely demolished. The building in the background of this photograph is the fort’s gatehouse, which incidentally is now the only remaining part of the original structure. This photograph is of particular interest for its slanting use of light, as the camera is nearly pointing into the sun.

Willie Liston, 'Redding [cleaning or preparing] the line'; Newhaven fisherman

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Adamson, David Octavius Hill, Willie Liston - 1843 - 1847. This is one of about 120 calotypes by Hill and Adamson that document the life and work of the fishermen and fishwives of Newhaven, a fishing village to the north of Edinburgh. This dramatic portrait shows Willie Liston, a fisherman, at work ‘redding’, or preparing, the fishing line. This lengthy and painstaking job involved cleaning hundreds of hooks on the line and baiting them with mussels. The careful positioning of Liston in the sunlight has created a dark shadow across his face, which helps to focus attention on his working hands.

Hommage à Naum Gabo [Homage to Naum Gabo]

National Galleries of Scotland

Jankel Adler - Dated 1946. Naum Gabo was a Russian sculptor who, like the artist of this painting, lived in Britain for several years due to the effects of the Second World War on mainland Europe. Working mainly in the artists’ community of St Ives, Gabo was interested in scientific developments in the understanding of space and materials. Jankel Adler was particularly influenced by Gabo’s use of space, and in this painting pays homage to one of his artistic influences. Gabo is depicted as a semi-realistic figure holding one of his abstract sculptures, exemplifying the pull between realism and abstraction in post-war British art. The Gallery of Modern Art has two sculptures by Naum Gabo in its collection.© DACS 2006

Aftermath

National Galleries of Scotland

Marion Adnams - 1946. Adnams was particularly influenced by the surrealist artists Salvador Dalí, René Magritte and Paul Nash. This painting shows the influence of Dalí in the delicate application of the paint. Painted in the aftermath of World War II, the artist alludes to the unfathomable amount of death and destruction that the conflict brought in the skull and barbed wire. Set at the English seaside, Adnams has included a ribbon tied in a bow around the animal skull, suggesting it is a gift or a sacrifice, perhaps for the freedom of Britain’s shores. However, skulls and barbed wire were also standard surrealist motifs and their inclusion may purely be Admans’ exploration of peculiar objects juxtaposed in unrelated environments.© John Rooks

Caroline D'Arcy, 4th Marchioness of Lothian (died 1778)

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Anton Adolf, Caroline D'Arcy, 4th Marchioness of Lothian - about 1750. This portrait of Caroline D'Arcy was previously attributed to Allan Ramsay. They are now believed to have been painted by Adolph around 1750 when they were living at Blickling, Norfolk. Adolph had settled in Norfolk around this time. This life-size portrait shows Caroline in an elaborate red satin dress, standing against an autumnal landscape with the sun setting behind distant hills. The flat foreground acts like a stage on which she is presented as ‘performer’, delicately playing her guitar and demonstrating her musical accomplishment. Her alliance with music and harmony was perhaps intended to balance the military associations of their family, a consequence of her husband’s distinguished Army career.

The Bankers' Glen, Yuen-foo River

National Galleries of Scotland

Afong Lai - 1869 or 1870. This picture was taken outside the city of Foochow in the south of China near the coast. It shows members of the British community of bankers, merchants and consular officials who lived in the region, enjoying a day out. The spot was, in fact, named after them. The western figures at the heart of this image, including the British Consul and his wife, appear tiny in this magnificent setting. It may be that the photographer was trying to emphasise the splendour of the mountain rocks, which, according to the Chinese, embody the sacred aspect of the landscape.

Fish Circus

National Galleries of Scotland

Eileen Agar - 1939. This work is thought to have been made in the autumn of 1939, after Agar and her husband had spent their summer holiday near Toulon on the Mediterranean coast. Agar had been an avid beachcomber since 1930, composing works from the flotsam and jetsam washed up on the shore. The collage features a real starfish, pinned on with a thumbtack, together with collaged and drawn elements. The starfish is the pivot of the composition, its shape providing the perfect link between the geometric and organic elements of the collage.© Estate of Eileen Agar

Rocks at Ploumenach, Brittany

National Galleries of Scotland

Eileen Agar - 1936 (printed later). Agar first visited Brittany in 1936 after participating in the International Surrealist Exhibition in London. She spotted these rock-formations from the train and was intrigued by their unusual shape, describing them as 'enormous prehistoric monsters sleeping on the turf above the sea'. Agar may also have been influenced by her friend Paul Nash's photography of ancient sites such as Stonehenge and Avebury. Agar's photograph brings out the metamorphic imagery in the rocks, showing the poetic and comic qualities of the natural forms.© Estate of Eileen Agar

Slow Movement

National Galleries of Scotland

Eileen Agar - 1970. This large painting was inspired by the Throne of Ludovisi, a Roman marble panel which shows Aphrodite bring raised from the sea by two women. Although the painting is very different in style from the classical sculpture, Agar was interested in exploring the upward movement of the women’s arms, and the overall circular movement created in the sculpture. The painting contains sweeping, interlinking motions throughout. It also suggests a Spanish fan dancer, with arms raised in the air, wearing a dress decorated with spots or stripes. The use of blue recalls an element of the painting’s main inspiration - the sea, and also echoes Agar’s interest in taking inspiration from nature. In this painting, natural and fantastical forms are combined.© Eileen Agar Estate

The Lotus Eater

National Galleries of Scotland

Eileen Agar - Dated 1939. The reference to classical mythology, both in the title of this work and in the Greek mask featured, was probably inspired by Agar's trip to the south of France in 1939. With this collage, which was based on a cut-out illustration of a ‘primitive’ mask, Agar evokes a world of carefree indulgence, much as she imagines the fabled lotus eaters to have inhabited. When the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art acquired the work, Agar wrote a note concerning the title: “Lotophagi: A fabulous people living on the Lotus-flower, the effect of which was to make the eater forget his own country and desire to live in the Lotus-land of his own choosing. The legend was the origin of [this] collage”.© Estate of Eileen Agar

Allan Ramsay, 1684 - 1758. Poet

National Galleries of Scotland

William Aikman, Allan Ramsay, the Elder - 1722. Allan Ramsay began his career in Edinburgh as a wigmaker; he went on to become a bookseller, successful poet and an important member of Edinburgh's literary and artistic circles. He was a close friend of the artist, William Aikman, and this portrait was owned by another friend, Sir John Clerk of Penicuik. Clerk wrote on the back of the canvas, imitating Ramsay's verse: 'Here painted on this canvas clout by Aikman's hand is Ramsay's snout'.

John Campbell [Mac Cailein Mòr], 2nd Duke of Argyll and Greenwich, 1680 - 1743. Soldier and statesman

National Galleries of Scotland

William Aikman, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll and Greenwich - About 1720. In 1703, John Campbell succeeded his father as Duke of Argyll and Chief of Clan Campbell. A strong supporter of the Union of Parliaments, he was an important political figure as well as an accomplished soldier. In 1710 he was made a Knight of the Garter, the blue ribbon of which he wears in this portrait. During the 1715 rebellion, Campbell commanded the government army at Sheriffmuir and defeated the Jacobites led by the Earl of Mar. He was rewarded for his victory with the Dukedom of Greenwich, was promoted to Field Marshal in 1736 and eventually became Commander in Chief of the British Army. William Aikman painted at least fourteen paintings of Campbell, who was a firm supporter of the artist and encouraged him to settle in London where his career flourished.

John Gay, 1685 - 1732. Poet and dramatist

National Galleries of Scotland

William Aikman, John Gay - about 1720. John Gay was an English poet and dramatist. Born at Barnstaple in Devon, Gay was raised by his uncle after the death of his parents. He was apprenticed to a silk merchant, but disliked the work and started to write and publish poetry. He soon found his way into literary circles and acquired influential friends, including the poet Alexander Pope and Irish writer Jonathan Swift. His most famous work is ‘The Beggar’s Opera’ (1728), several scenes of which were later painted by William Hogarth. Its sequel, ‘Polly’ (1729), was banned because of its criticism of Prime Minister Robert Walpole. The diagonal canvas weave in this portrait is now very visible.

Sir Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont, 1641 - 1724. Statesman

National Galleries of Scotland

William Aikman, Sir Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont - about 1720. Sir Patrick Hume was a Scottish Presbyterian statesman and a supporter of William of Orange. He began his long political career in opposition during the reigns of Charles II and James VII and II. Because of his involvement in the 1685 anti-Catholic rebellion, Hume spent several years in exile in the Netherlands. He returned after the revolution of 1688 when he accompanied the Protestant William of Orange to Britain. His forfeited estates were returned to him and in 1696 he was appointed Lord Chancellor. Created Earl of Marchmont in 1697, he opposed the claims of the Jacobites and voted for Parliamentary union between Scotland and England. This portrait depicts the earl in old age after he retired from politics. He is wearing an Indian robe and turban.

William Aikman, 1682 - 1731. Artist (Self-portrait)

National Galleries of Scotland

William Aikman, William Aikman - 1711. In this self-portrait, the young artist has shown himself much as he would one of his sitters. Aikman was the son and heir of an Angus laird but he sold his estates to fund his training as a painter. This confident image probably belongs to the period shortly after his return to Edinburgh after several years of study in London and Italy. No other artist in Scotland was able to match his European sophistication of style and he rapidly became the country's leading portrait painter.

Lily Still-Life

National Galleries of Scotland

Craigie Aitchison - 1974. This is among Aitchison’s first paintings of the lily, one of the artist’s favourite flowers due to its simple and elegant shape. The painting is primarily a still life, dominated by the single flower in a vase, yet it also contains both landscape and religious elements. The lily takes on a religious significance, due to the presence of the small Crucifixion in the background. Yet the composition remains simple and balanced, with echoes of shapes and tones throughout the painting. The pink triangular cloth on which the vase sits reflects the shape of the hill in the background and the coloured line beneath, and the artist has balanced the intense red with a patterned vase and a landscape view, without any one element dominating. © the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

Homage to the Square: R-NW IV

National Galleries of Scotland

Josef Albers - 1966. This painting is from Albers's 'Homage to the Square' series, which he began in 1950, when he was sixty-two, and continued until his death in 1976. These works explore the effects colours have on each other, reducing painting to its most basic constituents - colour and form. All of the paintings in the series are similar in composition to this work, consisting of three or four squares placed inside each other. Albers chose the square as he felt it was the shape that most emphasised the man-made quality of painting, thus distinguishing art from nature.© The Joseph and Anni Albers Foundation/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn and DACS, London 2006

James Duff of Corsindae (1678 - 1762)

National Galleries of Scotland

Cosmo Alexander, James Duff of Corsindae - 1760. James Duff was a wealthy Banff merchant who had ‘acquired a fortune through honest industry'. His affluence allowed him to purchase the Aberdeenshire estate of Corsindae from William Duff, Lord Braco (later the 1st Earl of Fife), for whom he had once been a factor. This portrait shows Duff of Corsindae as an alert elderly gentleman of eighty-three. His restrained, muted clothing and intense stare give the impression of a shrewd and puritanical man. The portrait was obviously admired, as there was another version in the collection of his former employer Lord Braco, the proprietor of Duff House. James Duff’s eldest son and heir William was, like Cosmo Alexander, a strong Jacobite sympathiser.

Lord Charles Gordon, 1721 - 1780

National Galleries of Scotland

John Alexander, Lord Charles Gordon - 1738. This portrait was painted seven years before Lord Charles, the elder son of the 2nd Duke of Gordon, was to fight on the opposing side to his younger brother, Lord Lewis, at the Battle of Culloden. Lord Charles was a loyal supporter of the Hanoverian government and became the 3rd Duke of Gordon, whilst Lewis, a Jacobite, was forced to live in exile after his participation in the 1745 Rising.

William Keith, 4th Earl of Kintore, about 1701-1761

National Galleries of Scotland

John Alexander, William Keith, 4th Earl of Kintore - about 1736. William Keith succeeded his brother John as 4th Earl of Kintore in 1758. He never married and on his death in 1761 no-one could prove a claim to his title, which resulted in the earldom lying dormant for seventeen years. The artist John Alexander visited Keith Hall in 1736 and probably painted William Keith at that time. In this portrait, Keith wears a great example of a fashionable knotted wig. The eighteenth century was the golden age of male wig wearing. The full-bottomed periwig, universally worn by the aristocracy during the second half of the seventeenth century, was now only used as formal wear by judges and clergymen. Wigs for daily use were increasingly cropped, while styles and materials – human, horse, goat or yak hair – continued to change with fashion and personal taste.

A Highland Dance

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan - about 1780. This beautiful watercolour of a Highland dance is full of joy and vitality. Allan was especially attracted to the image of dancing figures, and throughout his career he produced many drawings of peasants dancing. The graceful pose of the female figure to the right of the central group suggests that Allan was influenced by the classical figures that he encountered during the ten years that he lived in Rome. His natural ability for making rapid sketches of figures and costumes meant that he was often in demand as an illustrator of local festivals and events.

A Highland Soldier

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan - about 1785. In 1788, Allan began a series of watercolours depicting the local characters of Edinburgh. This drawing of a Highland soldier was part of the series, which also included a fishwife, chimney sweep and a fireman. Allan carefully studied these figures, often exaggerating certain traits or characteristics so that they almost look like caricatures. His pictures of the people and scenes of everyday life earned him the title of the 'Scottish Hogarth'. His work greatly influenced other artists in Scotland and he was considered the father of Scottish genre painting.

Anne Forbes, 1745 - 1834. Artist

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, Anne Forbes - 1781. Look at the strong backbone and determined eyes of the artist Ann Forbes - to be an independent woman in the eighteenth century was hard work. Ann Forbes, grand-daughter of William Aikman, the portrait painter, studied in Rome before setting up a studio in London. Her society friends shunned her for going into business. Ill and discouraged, she returned to Edinburgh where she established herself as a drawing teacher, a more acceptable occupation for a woman, although she still accepted commissions for portraits whenever she could.

David Allan, 1744 - 1796. Artist (Self-portrait)

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, David Allan - 1770. David Allan painted this self-portrait during his stay in Rome from 1767 to 1777, a very successful period in his early career. He has depicted himself as a gentleman-connoisseur in a grand Roman apartment, which is unlikely to have been his actual home at the time. Porte crayon in one hand, he looks away from his drawing of the view from his window and stares at the viewer. Falling off the table is another work, a copy after Agostino Carracci’s Venus fresco in the Farnese Gallery in Rome. Here, Allan alludes to his study of old masters, something which was deemed an essential part of an artist’s education. This self-confident portrait shows the young artist already at the height of his powers and yet full of ambition.

Highland Wedding at Blair Atholl

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, Niel Gow - 1780. This was painted after Allan's return from Italy, and was the first of his many Scottish genre subjects. Neil Gow, the celebrated violin player, composer and collector of music, takes his place amongst the musicians; Gow's services were retained by the Duke of Atholl, for a fee of £5 a year. The tartan worn in this picture was done so illegally, for highland dress had been proscribed after the Jacobite rising of 1745 in an Act not repealed until 1782.

Illustration to 'The Cottar's Saturday Night'

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan - about 1790. 'The Cottar's Saturday Night' was published in 1786 and tells the story of a young man's adventures one evening while visiting his beloved. The subject of the poem was charged with personal associations and observed from direct experience. Burns's father was himself a Cottar (a landless peasant employed on a farm and provided with a cottage attached to the farm building). In the poem, the verses are divided into sections of patriotic and religious commentary, which are written in English; the descriptions of the Cottar's home and his daughter Jenny and her young man, are written in Scots.

James Tassie, 1735 - 1799. Sculptor and gem engraver

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, James Tassie - about 1781. Tassie and Allan had been art students together at the Foulis Academy in Glasgow in the early 1760s. For a short while in the late 1770s they shared a house in London. Tassie invented a new medium, vitreous glass paste, which he used for making small portrait medallions and for making reproductions of antique gems and cameos. His products were sought by collectors all over the world, with Catherine the Great his most important patron.

Scene from the Life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary Led through the Streets of Edinburgh after the Battle of Carberry Hill

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, David Allan, Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary, Queen of Scots - c 1790. This wash drawing is one of David Allan’s sketches for a series of large-scale history paintings, most of which were never executed. Mistakenly inscribed ‘Queen Mary surrenders at Pinkie’, this drawing shows Mary’s return to Edinburgh after her surrender at Carberry Hill. Essentially a prisoner of the Confederate Lords, she was taken to the Provost’s residence on High Street. An angry and excited mob eagerly awaited her arrival, shouting abuse and accusing her of murder. The rebel Lords’ propaganda had clearly worked. To the left, their banner shows an image of the young Prince James and his murdered father, Lord Darnley. The writing: ‘Judge and revenge my cause, O Lord’, implied that the Lords were acting in the prince’s interest by avenging Darnley’s death.

Sir William Erskine of Torrie and his family

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, Sir William Erskine - 1788. After returning from his prolonged study trip to Italy, David Allan specialised in painting conversation pieces for Scottish aristocratic families. These were informal group portraits, often in an outdoor setting, and showed the sitters occupied in leisure activities. In this scene, Sir William's sons, William, James and John, present the trophies of a hunt – a fox's mask and tail – to their mother, Lady Frances, and their sisters, Frances, Henrietta, Elizabeth and Magdalene.

The Connoisseurs: John Caw (died 1784), John Bonar (1747 - 1807) and James Bruce

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, John Bonar, James Bruce, John Caw - 1783. David Allan specialised in small-scale group portraits, called 'conversation pieces', which showed people, usually families, in contemporary and informal settings. Here, his subject is three friends, depicted as 'connoisseurs', that is, as knowledgeable and appreciative of the fine arts. John Caw holds up an engraving after a painting by Raphael of St John the Baptist, which his companions discuss. The small portrait of the wall behind them may be an absent, or even a deceased, friend.

The Firth of Forth at South Queensferry, near Edinburgh

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan - Dated 1791. This charming watercolour shows the River Forth at South Queensferry, a small town near Edinburgh. Queensferry takes its name from Queen Margaret (later Saint Margaret), who had married Malcom III in 1070. The ceremony took place across the river in Dunfermline, Fife. There, Margaret set up a priory with Benedictine monks which soon became a place of pilgrimage. This created a high demand for ferries to carry the religious travellers across the river Forth to Dunfermline. The Queen’s Ferry was paid for by Margaret and would depart and arrive at various points along the shore near the village that soon adopted the name Queensferry. The first bridge to span the river was the famous Forth Rail bridge in 1890, more than a century after Allan painted this watercolour.

The Origin of Painting ('The Maid of Corinth')

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan - Dated 1775 (on the back). This was painted in Rome at a time when the discovery of lost, ancient Graeco-Roman sculptures and mural paintings was exciting great interest in the artistic world. Greek or Roman subject matter was adopted by many artists. Here, Allan has chosen to illustrate a charming anecdote by the ancient Roman author Pliny, claiming that the art of painting had first been invented by a Corinthian girl who traced the outline of her lover's shadow on the wall before he went into battle.

William Inglis, c 1712 - 1792. Surgeon and Captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers

National Galleries of Scotland

David Allan, William Inglis - 1787. Surgeon William Inglis was best known as a keen member of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the oldest golf club in the world. Allan, a member of the same golf club, shows Inglis and his caddy on Leith Links, about two miles from the city centre, where the club was then located (it's now based at Muirfield in East Lothian). Behind Inglis, the annual trophy presented by the City - a golf club with silver balls attached - is being paraded across the Links.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775 - 1851

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, Joseph Mallord William Turner - 1819 - 1833. Turner is seen here probably in his mid to late forties, between his two journeys to Venice of 1819 and 1833. An informal study which borders on caricature, it shows him standing before an easel, clutching his palette and working on a canvas. It is difficult to date precisely: Allan may have met Turner during his visit to Scotland in 1818, and almost certainly saw him in 1822 and 1831. The inscription on this drawing states that Sir William Allan was President of the Royal Scottish Academy. The drawing belonged to the painter and pioneering photographer, David Octavius Hill.

Matthew Hardie, 1755 - 1826. Violin maker

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, Matthew Hardie - about 1822. Edinburgh-born Matthew Hardie was an important and influential violin maker, who has been called the 'Scottish Stradivari'. His instruments were praised for both their beauty and quality of tone. Towards the end of his life, Hardie's business was undercut by cheaper factory imports and he spent some time in a debtor's jail. He died in a poorhouse. His skills, however, were passed onto family members, in what was to become a dynasty of violin makers.

Sir Walter Scott, 1771 - 1832. Novelist and poet

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, Sir Walter Scott - about 1844. Known as ‘The Minstrel of the Scottish Border’, this full-length portrait shows Sir Walter Scott against a background of moorland, with two lively terriers at his feet. The landscape is that of the area surrounding his beloved Abbotsford home in the Scottish Borders, on the banks of the river Tweed. The peculiar pose and characteristic clothing appear in several other works by Allan, one of which is a quick sketch painted during a visit to Abbotsford in September 1831. The present portrait was painted some ten years after Scott’s death, and exhibited first in 1846. Throughout the nineteenth century, Walter Scott’s fame and influence were immense, with fellow authors in Europe and beyond classing him with Shakespeare, Cervantes and Chaucer as one of the great universal writers.

The Celebration of the Birthday of James Hogg, 1770 - 1835

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, James Hogg, Alexander Nasmyth, Sir Walter Scott, Professor John Wilson (nom de plume, 'Christopher North') - 1823 or 1825. This scene shows a group of friends celebrating the birthday of James Hogg, the writer nicknamed 'the Ettrick Shepherd'. The gathering includes the artistic and literary elite of Scottish society. John Wilson (Christopher North), the author and moral philosoher, raises a toast to Hogg, who is swaying back on his chair at the left of the group. Next to Hogg, leaning on the table, is Sir Walter Scott. The setting is Hogg's house at Eltrive, and includes some beautifully observed details of a domestic interior in the early nineteenth century.

The Facade of Abbotsford, the Home of Sir Walter Scott, seen through the Entrance Gate. Study for the Engraving to Lockhart's 'Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott'

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan - Dated 1832. Walter Scott employed the architect William Atkinson (c.1773 - 1839) to build Abbotsford House in Roxburghshire. It was for Scott’s own pleasure and its strong theatrical elements provided a perfect setting for his collection of antiquities. Begun in 1816 and extended after 1822, Abbotsford started a trend for the 'castle-style' buildings of the Scottish Baronial Revival. It was built in two stages after a prolonged process of planning. It reflected Scott's passion for the medieval and had many medieval carvings and idiosyncratic features incorporated into the design. The main entrance was based on the entrance porch to Linlithgow Palace, the Gothic chimney piece in the entrance hall copied from stone seats at Melrose Abbey, and the hall's wood panelling came from Dunfermline Auld Kirk.

The Murder of David Rizzio

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, Sir William Allan, Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary, Queen of Scots, David Rizzio, David Rizzio - Exhibited 1833 (Royal Academy). For centuries, the dramatic life of Mary, Queen of Scots, has provided exciting subject matter for painters, writers and composers. Here, Sir William Allan depicts the assassination of David Rizzio, the queen's Italian secretary, in March 1566. The artist took great care to be historically accurate, establishing the exact identity and role of all the individual conspirators and recreating the look of Mary's rooms at the Palace of Holyrood. Allan based his Earl of Morton (with black hat to the far right) on a contemporary portrait, attributed to Arnold Bronckhorst, which is in the collection of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. To the left, Mary is being restrained by her husband, Lord Darnley, who was part of the conspiracy but later denied any involvement.

The Slave Market, Constantinople

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan - Dated 1838. First exhibited in London in 1838, the year of Allan’s election as President of the Royal Scottish Academy, this complex and ambitious picture confirmed the artist’s status as a pioneer of British Orientalist painting. In 1829-30 Allan had travelled to Constantinople with the ambassadors who concluded the treaty which ended the struggle for Greek independence from Turkish domination. In the central group of the painting, which was supposedly based on Allan’s direct experience, an Egyptian slave-merchant is shown selling a Greek girl to a Turkish Pasha on horseback. The melodrama of the scene with the girl being torn form her distraught family contrasts with the relaxed group of men about to be served tea. Allan brought back many Turkish items which he used when composing this picture.

The visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to Hawthornden, 14 September 1842

National Galleries of Scotland

Prince Albert, Sir William Allan, Queen Victoria - 1844. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Hawthornden Castle in Midlothian on 14 September 1842, the last day of their first holiday in Scotland. The owners of the castle, the Walker Drummond family, were away from home and so the royal couple paid only a brief visit. The 23-year old queen was much impressed by the view of the river Esk, and afterwards the party explored the caves in the sandstone cliff, said to have once sheltered Robert the Bruce. Two years after the visit Sir William Allan painted this charming picture of the scene, presumably for the Drummonds. Typical of Allan’s romantic landscape painting, he exaggerated the height of the cliff and possibly the trees, with the result that the people – albeit a royal party – almost disappear in the grandeur of the natural scene.

William Blackwood, 1776 - 1834. Publisher

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, William Blackwood - About 1830. Blackwood was Scotland’s most successful publisher in the early nineteenth century. He was born in Edinburgh and at the age of fourteen began a six year apprenticeship to the booksellers Bell & Bradfute. Following further training in Glasgow and London, he opened his first shop on Edinburgh. Specialising in selling rare books the business was a success. In 1813 Blackwood became the agent for the printers of Sir Walter Scott’s novels. Four years later he founded the ‘Edinburgh Monthly Magazine’ as a Tory counterpart to the ‘Edinburgh Review’, which had Whig leanings. As editor from the seventh issue onwards the magazine became knows as ‘Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine’. This elegant portrait was painted by William Allan who was a good friend of Scott and painted subjects from his novels.

Thomas Carlyle, 1795 - 1881. Historian and essayist

National Galleries of Scotland

Mrs Helen Allingham, Thomas Carlyle - 1879. Thomas Carlyle was one of the greatest historians and essayists of the nineteenth century. Born and educated in Dumfriesshire, he briefly worked as a teacher before turning to writing. The publication of his translations of foreign literature brought him into contact with other writers such as Coleridge and Thomas Campbell. In 1826 he married Jane Baillie Welsh, an intelligent self-educated woman and a writer in her own right. The couple settled in Chelsea where they became a focus for many well-known literary and political figures of the time. The artist of this work was the wife of Irish poet William Allingham, a friend of Carlyle. Although Helen Allingham specialised in romantic views of rural England, she occasionally painted portraits of her family and her husband’s friends.

Multiple Working

National Galleries of Scotland

Darren Almond - 1997. This was the first screenprint the artist had ever made. Inspired by the Almond’s boyhood hobby of train-spotting, it also relates to a series of work in which Almond commissioned British Rail to make nameplates of his own name in the same styles as the plaques found on the 125 inter-city train. This type of train has a diesel locomotive at each end and is called a ‘multiple coupling’. The title of the print also references the nature of the work, as a multiple print. This work is from a portfolio of prints by eleven different London-based artists, called ‘Screen’. The title is taken from the screenprint technique but also refers to the fact that most of the artists had worked with film or photography.© The Artist and The Paragon Press

John Sakeouse, 1797-1819. Eskimo whaler and draughtsman

National Galleries of Scotland

Amelia Anderson, William Home Lizars and Daniel Lizars - about 1816. John Sakeouse was born in Disco Bay, Greenland, an anchorage much frequented by whalers. At the age of eighteen he persuaded Captain Newton of the Thomas and Ann to ship him and his kayak back to Edinburgh, arriving in Leith in August 1816. He gave a series of demonstrations of his skills on the harbour in his sixteen pound kayak, beating locals for speed and dazzling them with his rolls and the accuracy of his dart and harpoon throwing. This drawing of Sakeouse was made on his arrival in Leith by Amelia Anderson and shows him paddling in his kayak. In 1818 Sakeouse was recruited as an interpreter on an Admiralty-sponsored Arctic expedition and was by all accounts a valuable member of the crew.

Model in Repose

National Galleries of Scotland

John de Andrea - 1981. This sculpture is cast from a living model. De Andrea's objective was to make his figures as life-like as possible, and this work has been meticulously painted, so that no joins or other clues to its construction are evident. De Andrea's earlier figures had been made to stand on the floor or sit on real chairs. With 'Model in Repose' the artist considered he had attained such a perfect match of realism and beauty that he could place the work, literally, on a pedestal.© John de Andrea

Mary Fairfax, Mrs William Somerville, 1780 - 1872. Writer on science

National Galleries of Scotland

Pierre Jean David d'Angers, Mary Fairfax, Mrs William Somerville - about 1833. Born in Jedburgh, the daughter of a naval officer, Mary Fairfax received the education then thought fitting for young ladies - very little, and a lot of needlework. She taught herself algebra in secret and became one of the period's leading mathematicians. She wrote several influential books on mathematics and astronomy. Somerville College, in Oxford, is named in her honour.This portrait was made during a visit to Paris in 1833. Although the medallion was very popular with the scientific community, some thought it too hard-edged and unfeminine.

Bullock Cart, Burgos

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1913. In 1913, Annan travelled to Spain, accompanied by the painter and etcher, William Strang. The composition of 'Bullock Cart, Burgos' combines a strength and pride with the simplicity of the subject. The bullocks appear monumental against the low-lit background and the contrast between dark and light creates a sense of delicate movement. This melancholic image evokes D.Y. Cameron's comment on Annan's work, as 'reticent, reserved, weird and tenderly beautiful.'© Estate of James Craig Annan

Jessie Marion King, Mrs Ernest Archibald Taylor, 1875 - 1949. Decorative artist and illustrator

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan, Jessie M. King - about 1910. Jessie M. King was an outstanding designer. She studied at Glasgow School of Art and became famous internationally as a book illustrator and a designer of jewellery and wallpaper. In 1902 she collaborated with Charles Rennie Mackintosh on the Scottish Pavilion at the Exposizione Nazionale in Turin, where she won a gold medal. At the outbreak of war she returned to Scotland and with her husband settled in Kirkcudbright, which by then was an artists' colony.© Estate of James Craig Annan

On a Hill Road, Granada

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1913. In 1913, the photographer James Craig Annan visited Spain with the artist William Strang. This photogravure, ‘Group on a Hill Road’, is one of several images of Spanish subjects in which the figures appear to be unaware of the camera, yet in reality have been carefully positioned to create a balanced composition. Annan never found the time to produce and sell an album of his Spanish photographs, but the photographer Alfred Stieglitz published eight of these images in the photo magazine ‘Camera Work’ in 1914.© Estate of James Craig Annan

Stirling Castle

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - about 1903. The great American photographer, Alfred Stieglitz described J. Craig Annan as: 'A true artist, and a decidedly poetic one at that'. His photogravure of Stirling Castle was executed in this spirit. The gravure print was a process that Annan and his father, Thomas Annan, learned in Vienna from its inventor, Karl Klic in 1883. The Glasgow photographer was proud of his Scottishness and some have read a nationalist statement into this picture. Although the castle looks proud and untouchable up on the crag, it overlooks a farmyard - an element which instantaneously makes this an informal and accessible image.© Estate of James Craig Annan

The Dark Mountains

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1890. This photograph was taken on Ben Vorlich, a mountain to the north of Loch Lomond. Its sombre, introspective mood is typical for this period of Annan’s work and the result of his skilled use of the photogravure technique. Over the years, the subject matter of this image has been interpreted in different ways. Soon after its first publication in 1895, it was thought to refer to the Old Testament, in which Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. In 1901, another critic read into it: "Dantesque dreams, ideas of massive, awful grandeur, unknown threatening dangers". By 1986 the image was described as a Romantic landscape in the tradition of the painter Caspar David Friedrich.© T & R Annan & Sons Ltd, (The Annan Gallery).

The Etching Printer - William Strang, 1859 - 1921

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1902. Born in Dumbarton, William Strang was briefly a clerk in the family shipbuilding firm before he entered the Slade School of Art in London in 1876. At the Slade he was deeply influenced by the teaching of Alphonse Legros, particularly the etching class which Legros instituted in 1877. The subject matter of Strang's etchings, largely produced between 1880 and 1900, ranges from intense portraits to scenes of working-class life and imaginary grotesques. By the turn of the century, Strang was developing the symbolic themes of his printed work in oil paintings, using rich colours in a style ultimately influenced by Venetian art. This atmospheric photogravure shows Strang preparing an etching plate, with the wheel of a printing press behind him.© The Artist’s Estate

The White Friars

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1894. Annan was one of the first to use the Kodak snapshot camera and this picture of two monks, taken in Venice, demonstrates both his interest in the capture of movement and his printing skill. This photogravure conjures up the glaring heat of a dusty road and the almost audible rustle of the men's robes.© Estate of James Craig Annan

The White House

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1909. James Craig Annan's photogravure ‘The White House’ of 1909 is now considered to be an important and early example of an image that is both a formal composition and casual snapshot. Annan carefully set up the view of the house and boats, but waited until the punt had drifted into exactly the right position before taking his photograph. He then reworked the image, emphasising certain areas and blurring others, so that in the end only the canopy of the barge in front of the house boat remains sharp. The house and boats belonged to George Davison, a photographer and former Managing Director of Kodak in Britain. The boy in the punt boat is his son Ronald.© Estate of James Craig Annan

Venice from the Lido

National Galleries of Scotland

James Craig Annan - 1894. In 1894 Annan travelled in Genoa and Venice with the artist and etcher, D.Y. Cameron. He remarked that: 'It has been when I have associated with artists that I have made my most successful pictures'. In this work, Annan has framed the posts in the water against the far towers and then waited until the oar of the drifting gondola has cut the skyline of the city at exactly the correct point to balance this striking abstract composition.© Estate of James Craig Annan

Close no. 11 Bridgegate, Glasgow

National Galleries of Scotland

John Annan - 1897. Thomas Annan's prints of 'The Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow' had been published in his lifetime. His son John inherited the project and in 1900, the family firm T. Annan produced a photogravure album with new prints by John Annan and, for the first time, a written text. According to the author, William Young: 'The value of many of the plates embraced in this volume consists in their true presentation or suggestion of the seamy side of the city's life; in their depicting with absolute faithfulness, the gloom and squalor of the slums'.© Estate of John Annan

Glasgow Harbour, North-West Corner of South Pier, Princes Dock

National Galleries of Scotland

John Annan - September 1894. This photograph is one of a series which charts the progress of the building of the Glasgow docks at the end of the nineteenth century, when the city was a centre for world trade and considered as the 'Second City of the Empire'. This image is a record of one of the stages of the construction work and demonstrates the pride which people took in the large-scale engineering works of the time.© Estate of John Annan

Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin, 1824 - 1907. Scientist, resting on a binnacle and holding a marine azimuth mirror

National Galleries of Scotland

T. & R. Annan & Sons, Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin - about 1900. A child prodigy, William Thomson went to university at the age of eleven. At twenty-two he was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy in Glasgow where he set up the first physics laboratory in Great Britain and proved an inspiring teacher. He primarily researched thermodynamics and electricity. On the practical side he was involved in the laying of the Atlantic telegraph cable. He was also the partner of a Glasgow firm that made measuring instruments from his own patents.

'Ben Lomond from Aberfoyle'

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan - About 1860. This photograph shows a rather nostalgic view westwards from the village of Aberfoyle, on the dividing line between the Highlands and Lowlands. To the right of Ben Lomond are the lands of Craigrostan, which once belonged to Rob Roy. A famous character in Scottish history, Rob Roy MacGregor was a cattle trader who, as a result of business failure and switching political sympathies, lost his lands and became an outlaw and rebel. His reputation as a folk hero took on mythical proportions after the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s romanticised version of his life in 1817, and this photograph would certainly have been interpreted in that context. Before Scott’s visits to the area, Aberfoyle was small and insignificant, but the success of his novels led to a sudden increase in visitors.© T & R Annan & Sons Ltd., (The Annan Gallery)

Close No. 101 High Street, Glasgow

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan, Thomas Annan - 1868 - 1871. After the city passed an act through parliament to demolish the slums of central Glasgow in 1866, Thomas Annan was asked to record the buildings that were coming down. He worked in conditions as bad for photography as they were for humans and took only about thirty successful photographs in the three years he spent on the commission.

Close, No. 46 Saltmarket, from Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan - 1868 - 1871. In 1868 the City of Glasgow commissioned Thomas Annan to photograph the run-down buildings and closes of the old town before their destruction in a large urban improvement scheme. It was a difficult task, because light levels in these built-up, overcrowded slums were very low. Hence exposure times had to be increased, which made it harder to create sharp, well-defined images. In this photograph, many of the carefully grouped and positioned children appear blurred as they will have moved while the photograph was taken. However, the boy with his hands on his hips stands out from the rest. His strong, clear-cut figure appears to challenge his squalid surroundings and gives the viewer a sense of hope and indestructibility.T. & R. Annan and Sons., (The Annan Gallery)

David Livingstone, 1813 - 1873. Missionary and explorer

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan, David Livingstone - 1864. David Livingstone was one of the great Christian missionaries of the nineteenth century, and fought the slave trade in Africa throughout his life with great dedication. His journey from coast to coast and his discovery of Victoria Falls made him Britain's national hero. This is the most successful portrait of Livingstone, taken in his sisters' house in Hamilton in 1864. The cap on the table is his 'Consul's cap', symbolising his authority as a consul-on-the-move in the Zambezi expedition (1858-1864).

Saltmarket from Bridgegate

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan - 1868 - 1871. In 1868 the City of Glasgow commissioned Thomas Annan to photograph the old town before improvement works could proceed. Annan did not find this an easy assignment due to the poor working conditions - light was almost entirely absent from the built-up and overcrowded closes of the slums. There, nevertheless, must have been humorous moments like the one recorded in this picture when the photographer was evidently struggling to get a clear view of the street while facing an overwhelming and curious crowd.

The Duchray Valley, Looking North from South End of the Syphon Pipes

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan - Published 1877. This picture is part of a series of photographs showing the remarkable engineering work designed to give Glasgow a supply of fresh water. A network of tunnels and aqueducts crisscrossed the Duchray Valley, carrying 50,000,000 gallons of water a day to the city, from Loch Katrine, made famous by Sir Walter Scott's poem, 'The Lady of the Lake'. In the opinion of one engineer at the time the Duchray aqueduct surpassed 'the greatest of the nine famous aqueducts which fed the city of Rome'.

Trongate from Tron Steeple

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Annan - 1868 - 1871. In 1868 Annan was commissioned to record the old closes and streets of Glasgow prior to their demolition. Light hardly ever stole into the narrow closes, whereas here the photographer has the benefit of a bird's eye view. The broad avenue, washed clean by recent rain, appears far more presentable than the squalid courts hiding behind the facades of the tall buildings. This is deceptive: a closer look reveals how run-down the buildings are and the washing sitting out on windowsills speaks of the overcrowded conditions in which the inhabitants live.

Edwin Morgan, 1920 - 2010. Poet

National Galleries of Scotland

David Annand, Edwin Morgan - about 2004. Edwin Morgan was one of the most important Scottish poets of the twentieth century, writing poetry in a wide variety of styles. Born in Glasgow in 1920, he lived in the city almost his entire life. In 1937 he entered the University of Glasgow and, after interrupting his studies to serve with the Royal Army Medical Corps in the Middle East, graduated in 1947. He became a lecturer and later a professor at the university and retired in 1980. Morgan’s interests are wide-ranging and include technology, art, film, travel and languages – he has translated poetry from Russian, Hungarian, French, Italian, Latin, Spanish, Portuguese and German. From 1999 to 2002 he served as Glasgow’s Poet Laureate before being made the first ever ‘Scots Makar’ or Scotland’s national poet, in 2004.© David A Annand, Sculptor

Norman MacCaig, 1910 - 1996. Poet

National Galleries of Scotland

David Annand, Norman MacCaig - about 2004. Norman MacCaig, who was a prolific writer of poetry, worked as a schoolteacher in Edinburgh for most of his life. He studied classics before training to be a teacher at Moray House in Edinburgh. After the Second World War, during which he adopted a pacifist stance, MacCaig continued to teach and in 1967 became the first Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Edinburgh. Both his home city of Edinburgh and his holiday home in Assynt, in the north-west of Scotland, provided inspiration for his poetry. His early works belong to the New Apocalypse Movement, a surrealist mode of writing which he later abandoned in favour of a wittier and more elegant style. His fame grew later in life; he was awarded an OBE in 1979 and in 1986 received the Queen’s Medal for Poetry.© David A Annand, Sculptor

Gordon Brown, b. 1951. Prime Minister

National Galleries of Scotland

Platon Antoniou, Gordon Brown - 8 September 2004 (printed September 2005). When the Labour Party came to power in 1997 Gordon Brown was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ten years later, in June 2007, he became Prime Minister and held office until May 2010. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, Brown was elected Rector of the University and appointed Chairman of its Court from 1972-5. He then lectured in politics before taking up a post at Scottish Television in 1980. Since 1983 Brown has been the Member of Parliament for Dunfermline East and has held several senior posts on the opposition front bench. This portrait is typical of Antoniou’s bold and striking photographic style. The viewer is confronted, in very close proximity to the politician who bears a slight, almost knowing, smirk. The dramatic lighting contrasts to this intimacy.© Platon

Danse d'espace avant la tempête [Dance in Space before the Storm]

National Galleries of Scotland

Karel Appel - 1959. This painting was made shortly after Appel had seen the work of the abstract expressionist artist (and fellow Dutchman) Willem de Kooning, while on a trip to America. Appel's painting suggests spontaneity and directness. Some of the paint has been squeezed onto the canvas directly from the tube and other areas have been smudged with his hands. The painting is an explosion of colour and movement, with an ominous black mass at either end of the canvas suggesting the threatening storm.© Karel Appel Foundation/DACS, London, 2004.

Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, 1903 - 1995. Prime Minister

National Galleries of Scotland

Avigdor Arikha, Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel - 1988. Lord Home, better known as Alec Douglas-Home, was one of the most important Conservative statesman of the last century, whose long political career spanned over fifty years. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Neville Chamberlain, whom he accompanied to Germany in 1938 on the government's abortive attempt to appease Hitler and Mussolini. In 1963, after Harold Macmillan's resignation, Lord Home briefly became Prime Minister. The Conservatives lost the election the following year but in 1970 Home returned to the post of Foreign Secretary, which he held until 1974. With its elongated figure slipping to the side of the canvas, this image suggests the character of a man described as the "quiet aristocrat of British politics".© Avigdor Arikha

Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, 1900 - 2002. Queen of George VI

National Galleries of Scotland

Avigdor Arikha, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother - 1983. Born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the youngest daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore, the Queen Mother was descended from Robert II of Scotland. She was born in England but spent part of every year at Glamis Castle in Angus during her childhood. In 1923 she married the Duke of York, who became George VI unexpectedly after his brother's abdication in 1936. The Queen Mother always enjoyed the affection of the British public and had a gift of manifesting genuine interest. This sensitive and dignified portrait was the first commissioned by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery to record important living Scots.© Avigdor Arikha

Ludovic Kennedy, 1919 - 2009, and Moira Shearer, 1926 - 2006

National Galleries of Scotland

Avigdor Arikha, Ludovic Kennedy, Moira Shearer - 1993. Ludovic Kennedy and Moira Shearer married in 1950. Born in Dunfermline, Shearer shot to fame in 1948 with her role as the doomed young ballerina in the film, 'The Red Shoes'. From 1952 she combined family life (she and Kennedy had four children) with a second career as an actress and lecturer. A pioneer of television broadcasting, Edinburgh-born Kennedy became a newscaster in 1956 and presented some of the first current affairs programmes, most notably, Panorama. As an investigative journalist who specialised in miscarriages of justice, he has exposed some of the most notorious cases of injustice in Britain.© Avigdor Arikha

Portrait of Leon Wieseltier

National Galleries of Scotland

Avigdor Arikha, Leon Wieseltier - 1992. This portrait depicts the writer Leon Wieseltier (b.1952). Wieseltier is perhaps best known for the work 'Kaddish', an examination of the way Jewish tradition deals with death and mourning, and a book which has been translated into many languages. Wieseltier has also been the literary editor of the periodical 'The New Republic' since 1983. Like many of Arikha's other portraits, this painting has a neutral background, with the sitter looking into the distance. In his portraits, Arikha frequently depicted his male sitters clothed in a uniform of shirt and jacket, as he does here.© Avigdor Arikha

Violoncelle dans l'espace [Cello in Space]

National Galleries of Scotland

Arman (Armand Fernandez) - 1967 - 1968. This work was made by pouring resin into a flat box, to the depth of about a centimetre, and inserting elements of the cello. Once set, another layer of resin could be poured, and more of the pieces added. The final work is like a cello frozen in space a fraction of a second after it has exploded. The sculpture is a development from the artist's 'Happenings', when he would smash up pianos, cars and even whole rooms. Arman attached the broken remains to panels but, from 1962, he began setting them in clear polyester resin, calling the series 'Colère' (Anger).© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

Children Playing

National Galleries of Scotland

Kenneth Armitage - 1953. This is one of a series of works, begun in 1949, in which the artist joined two or more figures together. He described the resulting sculptures as ‘a new organic unit - a simple mass of whatever shape I liked containing only that number of heads, limbs or other detail I felt necessary.’ In this work, the children appear to have linked arms and are running or skipping in unison. Armitage was in charge of a War Office School during the Second World War, using models of aeroplanes and silhouettes to teach aircraft identification. This influenced the flat forms of his later work by making him particularly aware of shape. He has also acknowledged that his sculptures were affected by the shape of screens he had in his studio, which comprised a flat area with protruding feet.© The Estate of Kenneth Armitage

Battle of the Rocking Horse [study for 'The Battle of Religion']

National Galleries of Scotland

John Armstrong - Dated 1953. Symbolism was of great interest to Armstrong, and, in the early 1950s, he began to develop his own symbolist vocabulary. This encompassed many of his views and beliefs - relating to mythology, religion, theatre, architecture and politics. These are visible in his series of large ‘battle’ paintings, such as ‘The Battle of Religion’, for which this is a study. An echo of surrealism is also apparent with Armstrong playing on the incongruity of the rocking horse on the battlefield and the figures blindly waving their wooden swords yet failing to clash. In its subject and composition this work is clearly inspired by Uccello’s ‘Battle of San Romano’ in the National Gallery, London.© SODART/DACS 2006

George Lincoln Rockwell (center), Head of the American Nazi Party, at Black Muslim Meeting, Washington, D. C.

National Galleries of Scotland

Eve Arnold, George Lincoln Rockwell - 1960. Members of the American Nazi Party attended one of the conventions of the Black Muslim movement in America with the aim of supporting its policy of racial segregation. The Nazi Party leader, who is shown here between two bodyguards, threatened Arnold that he would "make a bar of soap" out of her because he found the presence of a Jewish woman photojournalist disturbing.© Eve Arnold/ Magnum Photos

Malcolm X Collecting Money for the Black Muslims, Washington, D. C.

National Galleries of Scotland

Eve Arnold, Malcolm X - 1960. This photograph, commissioned by 'Life' magazine, was the product of a year spent with Malcom X, then the powerful emerging leader of the Black Muslim movement in America. Malcolm X is shown collecting money at a rally. Although unpublished by 'Life', the subsequent photo-essay came out simultaneously in several other magazines worldwide, and brought Eve Arnold her first big career success.© Eve Arnold/Magnum Photos

S'élevant [Rising up]

National Galleries of Scotland

Jean (Hans) Arp - 1962. Arp began making free-standing sculpture in the early 1930s. His sensuous, 'abstract' works changed little in style from that time to the 1960s. Arp called his sculptures 'human concretions', a term chosen to suggest that they might have grown out of the human body. He did not consider these works as abstract, but rather as organic forms which had occurred naturally. The vertical nature of this sculpture suggests parallels with the human form: Arp made a number of vertical works from the mid-1950s to the 1960s.© DACS 2004

Sally Beamish, born 1956. Composer

National Galleries of Scotland

Shelagh Atkinson, Sally Beamish - 2006. This screenprint entitled ‘Making Music’ shows composer Sally Beamish, whose intimate compositions include chamber, vocal, choral and orchestral pieces that are performed and broadcast throughout the world. Beamish started her musical career playing the viola in the Raphael Ensemble before being appointed composer in residence with the Swedish and Scottish Chamber Orchestras, from 1998 to 2002. During that period she wrote four major works, including the ‘Knotgrass Elegy’, which was commissioned by the BBC Proms in 2001, and an opera, ‘Monster’, based on the life of Mary Shelley. In 2006, in honour of her 50th birthday, the Cheltenham Festival staged a major retrospective of her work.© Shelagh Atkinson

Major James Fraser of Castle Leathers, 1670 - 1760. Hanoverian supporter

National Galleries of Scotland

Atributed to John Vanderbank, Major James Fraser of Castle Leathers - about 1720. Major James Fraser of Castle Leathers was a supporter of the Hanoverian government during the Jacobite risings. He later became known as the author of ‘Major Fraser's Manuscript’, which describes his journey to France to bring home the exiled Simon Fraser of Beaufort, later 11th Lord Lovat. Fraser married Janet, daughter of Sir Robert Dunbar, and had two sons and nine daughters. This remarkable portrait shows Major Fraser in the classic Highland outfit of tartan ‘trews’ and plaid. This style of dress was suitable for riding and seems to have been adopted by men of privilege in the early seventeenth century. Another version of this portrait hangs in the courtroom of the Tollbooth in Forres, near Inverness.

Head of E.O.W. IV

National Galleries of Scotland

Frank Auerbach, Stella West - 1961. Auerbach made a series of portraits of E.O.W. (his companion Estella West) from the 1950s to the 1970s. He painted her regularly in her home, three evenings a week and always by electric light. The lighting is part of the reason he has used these colours. Also, the monochrome paints were cheaper. Auerbach has commented on these portraits: ‘"She was the most important person in my life at the time... The intensity of life with somebody and the sense of its passing has its own pathos and poignancy. There was a sense of futility about it all disappearing into the void and I just wanted to pin something down that would defy time, so it wouldn’t all just go off into thin air." The very thick paint, which is typical of Auerbach’s work, comes from this desire to fix and ‘pin down’.© Frank Auerbach, Courtesy Marlborough Fine Art

Portrait of Julia

National Galleries of Scotland

Frank Auerbach - 1992. Auerbach mainly paints landscapes and townscapes in the Camden Town area of London, and portraits of a few close friends and relatives. This is a portrait of his wife, Julia Wolstenholme, who Auerbach met at the Royal College of Art in London. Auerbach is noted for his use of extremely thick, impasto paint. Yet here the majority of the paint is thinner and more diluted, which contrasts to a few areas where it is thick and tangible. Overall the appearance created is of a bold, vibrant portrait.© The Artist

Primrose Hill: High Summer

National Galleries of Scotland

Frank Auerbach - 1959. Auerbach’s landscapes are predominantly of the area of north London which includes Primrose Hill, Mornington Crescent and Camden Town, the location of his studio. This painting is one of the earliest in a series of works which depict Primrose Hill. It was painted during a long, hot summer - the bright colours and shadows in the foreground suggest the effects of dazzling sunlight. After making drawings on location, Auerbach works up the paintings in his studio. A lengthy process of painting, and then scraping off layers of paint to enable him to start again, meant that Auerbach would complete on average only two or three of these large paintings per year.© Frank Auerbach, Courtesy of Marlborough Fine Art

Primrose Hill: Spring Sunshine

National Galleries of Scotland

Frank Auerbach - 1961 - 1962 / 1964. The park at Primrose Hill, near Auerbach’s studio in Camden Town, is one of the artist’s favourite motifs. This work was painted in 1961-62 in a range of brown tones; it was then put aside and completely re-worked in 1964 in brighter colours. The practice of painting, scraping off paint, and repainting is integral to the artist’s working process, resulting in works which are thickly encrusted with paint. Auerbach’s subjects, whether people or places, come from his immediate surroundings as he prefers to be familiar with what he paints in order to capture the essence of his subject. Auerbach has depicted Primrose Hill in all seasons and weathers.© Frank Auerbach, courtesy Marlborough Fine Art

Winter Landscape

National Galleries of Scotland

Hendrick Avercamp - about 1630. This crowded winter scene presents a cross-section of Dutch society enjoying a wide range of winters sports, on the frozen waterways. The figures in the foreground with long sticks are playing ‘kolf’, an early form of golf. The walled town in the background was previously thought to be the artist’s native town, Kampen, but is an imaginary site. To the left by the windmill is an inn, indicated by the sign with a white crescent. The brightly coloured figures stand out against the restrained, subtle tones of the landscape.

The Place of the Route of the If'en

National Galleries of Scotland

Charles Avery - 2007. In 2004 Avery began a long-term project called ‘The Islanders’, in which he describes, through a variety of media, the land and the inhabitants of an imaginary island. This drawing represents the square on this island that was the site of the slaughter of many of the island’s natives (the If’en), when humans arrived. The square also signifies a division in the town as the If’en are forbidden to venture further without an accompanying human. Although appearing unfinished in areas, there are contrasting sections of minute detail that precisely describe the lively bazaar. Avery depicts the island’s characters selling their unusual goods including - ‘Dihedra’ (a butterfly-like bird with “wings so thin that they only have one side”) and the island’s legendary ‘Henderson’s Pickled Eggs’.© Charles Avery

The Plane of the Gods

National Galleries of Scotland

Charles Avery - 2006. In 2004 Avery began a long-term project called ‘The Islanders’, in which he describes, through a variety of media, the land and the inhabitants of an imaginary island. ‘The Plane of the Gods’ is the most popular tourist attraction of this island. It features nine deities which vary dramatically from once “unfathomable” black holes to identical twin cousins, each with their own narrative: ‘Duculi (The Indescribable)’ resembles two headless dogs joined at the neck and locked in a seemingly violent struggle with themselves and the ‘August Snakes’ with their long beards, hold an air of wisdom and have attracted a “cult following”. Avery approaches the traditional subject of religion in an unusual and somewhat humorous manner, exploring belief and how we perceive our own Gods.© Charles Avery

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Charles Avery - 2002. Charles Avery creates his drawings of enigmatic groups of figures by starting from one area of the body, often a nose, and working outwards from there until a character is created. Each subsequent figure is created in reaction to the previous one until a narrative begins to emerge. Avery puts most detail into the faces and hands of his figures, as he views these as vital for expression. The left-hand edge of this drawing reveals that it has been neatly removed from a spiral-bound pad. However, this is not a preparatory sketch for a painting, as Avery views drawing as important in its own right and uses it as a way to encourage the viewer to interact. He explains, 'Drawing puts much more trust in the viewer. Drawing is a form of writing, it’s a telling medium and people get involved in it.'© Charles Avery

Scotland Rugby XV, Scotland Versus Ireland, 1938

National Galleries of Scotland

Studio of Alexander Ayton - 26 February 1938. Before Alexander Ayton Junior died in 1894 he had been successful in photographing sportsmen, including tennis players and football and cricket teams. In 1892 The Practical Photographer magazine featured two prints on behalf of Alex Ayton showing both the English and Scottish rugby teams that played that year. This sporting interest was continued in the Ayton business following his death. This photograph from 1938 shows the Scottish rugby team that played against Ireland on 26 February 1938. Mounted on card, the players’ names are listed below, alongside the score from the match.© Courtesy of the Estate

Scotland Rugby XV, Scotland Versus Wales, 1938

National Galleries of Scotland

Studio of Alexander Ayton - 5 February 1938. Before Alexander Ayton Junior died in 1894 he had been successful in photographing sportsmen, including tennis players and football and cricket teams. In 1892 The Practical Photographer magazine featured two prints on behalf of Alex Ayton showing both the English and Scottish rugby teams that played that year. This sporting interest was continued in the Ayton business following his death. This photograph from 1938 shows the Scottish rugby team that played against Wales on 5 February 1938. Mounted on card, the players’ names are listed below, alongside the score from the match.© Courtesy of the Estate

Tourists Viewing Niagara Falls from Prospect Point

National Galleries of Scotland

Platt Babbitt - about 1855. In the 1850s, Babbitt had been granted a monopoly to photograph on the American side of the Niagara Falls. Competition amongst photographers could be ruthless. When a Scotsman, William Thompson, tried to photograph the falls from Prospect Point, it was noted that: 'Mr Babbitt would not have it.... Every time Mr Thompson made an attempt to take the cap off the camera for an exposure, Mr Babbitt and his forces would stand between the camera and the falls swinging large-sized umbrellas to and fro...'

Moses Striking the Rock

National Galleries of Scotland

Bacchiacca (Francesco Ubertini), Moses - after 1525. Bacchiacca used this Old Testament subject as a means to include a wide range of exotically clothed figures and various birds and animals in a stylised, rocky landscape. Moses kneels in the centre, before the rock from which water miraculously appears to relieve the thirst of the Israelites as they journey to the Promised Land. This is collected in, and enthusiastically drunk from, beautifully crafted jugs. The picture may well be connected with a commission Bacchiacca received from a Florentine guild of jug-makers to decorate a festival stand in 1525 with scenes from the Old Testament.

Figure Study I

National Galleries of Scotland

Francis Bacon, Francis Bacon - 1945 - 1946. This is an important early painting by Bacon, as he destroyed much of his work from the period of 1935 to 1944. Despite the title, it is a figure study only by implication. It is one of the few works in Bacon's oeuvre that does not feature a figure, though the trilby hat and tweed overcoat suggest a human presence. The painting was followed by a similar work, 'Figure Study II' (Huddersfield Art Gallery), which shows the same coat motif, from which a deformed, screaming figure - perhaps lurking under the coat in this painting - emerges.© Estate of Francis Bacon 2004. All Rights Reserved, DACS.

Study for a Portrait March 1991

National Galleries of Scotland

Francis Bacon, Anthony Zych - 1991. This is one of the last paintings Bacon completed. It is the second in a series of three portraits of his friend, the artist Anthony Zych. Zych appears to be standing in a doorway, possibly that of the artist's studio. The camera tripod is an element repeated from the central panel of a triptych painted in 1944. Bacon's portraits were almost without exception of people with whom he was familiar. He preferred to paint his subjects not from life but from photographs. This was the first painting by Bacon to enter the collection of the Gallery of Modern Art.© Estate of Francis Bacon 2004. All Rights Reserved, DACS.

Fiona Macpherson, 1940 - 2000. Magazine Editor

National Galleries of Scotland

Adrian Bailey, Fiona Macpherson - 1990 - 1999. Fiona Macpherson was born in London with her family moving to Inverness when she was five. She studied English and Modern History at St Andrews University, before starting her career as a magazine editor in Dundee. In 1963 she moved to London to become a sub-editor on ‘Woman’s Own’, and in 1965 joined the staff of ‘Queen’. When the latter merged into ‘Harpers & Queen’, Macpherson became deputy editor. In 1975 she married Adrian Bailey, the artist of this portrait, and after the birth of her first child she devoted herself to family life. Only after being offered the position of editor of ‘Harpers & Queen’ in 1994 did she return to full-time work. She worked until weeks before her death from cancer in 2000.© Adrian Bailey

James Carson MBE

National Galleries of Scotland

Edward Baird, James Carson - 1944. Much of Baird’s artistic output from his later years consisted of portraits of friends and local characters. In this example of his formal portraiture, the sitter is James Carson, who was headmaster at Rossie Farm School in Montrose. The portrait was commissioned by a local businessman and was originally presented to the school shortly after the sitter’s retiral. It commemorates Carson’s forty years of service and the associated award of an MBE. Carson was born in Dalry, Ayrshire, and was also Chair of the Montrose branch of the Worker’s Education Association. As a committed Socialist, it is likely that Baird also knew the sitter in this capacity.© Graham Stephen / The Artist's estate

Portrait of a Young Scotsman: Fionn MacColla [Fionn MacColla], 1906 - 1975.

National Galleries of Scotland

Edward Baird, Fionn MacColla - 1932. Fionn MacColla was the pen name of the writer Thomas Douglas Macdonald. He was born and brought up in Montrose, where he became acquainted with Hugh MacDiarmid who edited the 'Montrose Review' from 1919 to 1929. In 1928, MacColla and the artist Edward Baird, both passionate Scottish patriots, joined the newly founded National Party of Scotland. Baird wrote that this was his “attempt to paint a modern and distinctively Scottish portrait” and that both he and the sitter had “a sense of being part of a re-vivified Scottish Culture”. Baird suggests MacColla’s militaristic nationalism by the uniform he wears.© The Artist’s Estate

Still Life

National Galleries of Scotland

Edward Baird - 1940. Baird’s paintings are characterised by an obsessive attention to detail, and this meticulously painted still life is no different. Painted during the war years when fruit was scarce, the apples and pears had been brought from abroad by the artist's brother. However, as Baird was a perfectionist, by the time he had finished the painting the apples and pears were completely rotten – an extravagance, friends said, given the scarcity of fruit during the war years. The blue and white jug is known as a ‘Glasgow Jug’.© Graham Stephen/The Artist's Estate

The Birth of Venus

National Galleries of Scotland

Edward Baird, Edward Baird, Venus, Venus - 1934. This painting is a rare example of Scottish Surrealism. It was painted as a wedding present for the artist James McIntosh Patrick. McIntosh Patrick said of Baird's gift, “It rather shocked me as he painted so few pictures yet he gave this one away. He was our best man and, being a sentimental person, he chose Venus, the goddess of love, as the subject of the painting. He was a keen Scottish Nationalist; he also admired Botticelli and Crivelli, the Renaissance painters. Hence the 'Scottish Venus' as he called it, arose out of his associations with a wedding, his involvement with Scottish Nationalism, his love for messing about in boats, and his love of Botticelli.”© Graham Stephen/ The Artist’s Estate

Grosser Mann (Large Man)

National Galleries of Scotland

Stephan Balkenhol - 1988. This large wooden figure is over ten feet in height and was carved from a single tree trunk. Despite his imposing size, the man looks distinctly non-heroic, his stance suggesting boredom or that he is waiting for something to happen. Balkenhol uses a chainsaw roughly to carve his large figures; he then defines the details with a chisel before painting. Although Balkenhol works in the tradition of Expressionist wood carving, his work can also be associated with the work of the contemporary artist Georg Baselitz. Parallels have also been drawn between Balkenhol's neutral, post-heroic figures and the giant, rhetorical statues beloved by totalitarian regimes.© DACS 2004

Kleines Kopfrelief: Frau [Small Head Relief: Woman]

National Galleries of Scotland

Stephan Balkenhol - 1995. The woman on this carved wooden relief is both ordinary and anonymous. The figures Balkenhol depicts in his work are everyday, non-heroic types. He is influenced by Egyptian art: in particular the way it is able to convey universality and tranquillity, qualities he seeks in his own work. The marks of the sculptor's tools are clearly visible on the surface of the relief, reinforcing the presence of the sculptor and the rawness of the piece. Fashioned with admirable skill and simplicity, his sculptures are pieces of wood masquerading as people.© DACS 2004

John Phillip, 1817 - 1867. Artist (In his studio)

National Galleries of Scotland

John Ballantyne, John Phillip - about 1864. The artist John Phillip went to Spain in 1851 for the sake of his health. There he not only recovered, but found a new source of inspiration in Spanish life and art. This view of his London studio - one of a series Ballantyne made depicting his contemporaries at work - makes clear why the artist became known as 'Spanish Phillip'. Studio props of onions, pots and a melon are piled on a table and Phillip is preparing his palette in readiness for returning to the canvas on his easel - 'Spanish Contrabandistas' - a painting of 1858. On the back wall is his copy of part of Las Meninas by Velásquez

Sir George Harvey, 1806 - 1876. Artist (In his studio)

National Galleries of Scotland

John Ballantyne, Sir George Harvey - 1865. This is one of a series of portraits by John Ballantyne showing his fellow artists at work. The painter depicted here is Sir George Harvey, President of the Royal Scottish Academy from 1864 until his death. Harvey was best known for his historical scenes, particularly those depicting events from the religious struggles of the Covenanters in seventeenth-century Scotland. Here, the tartan, sword and bible on the floor suggest Harvey is working on just such a picture whilst in the background his famous painting 'The Covenanters' Communion' (National Gallery of Scotland) rests on the floor behind him.

Thomas Faed, 1826 - 1900. Artist (in his studio)

National Galleries of Scotland

John Ballantyne, Thomas Faed - about 1865. This painting is one of three by Ballantyne of the artist Thomas Faed at work. It is part of a larger series of works that show artists in their studios, most of which were completed by 1864 with some later additions. In this painting, Faed’s easel is facing outwards so that the spectator can see the unfinished canvas of ‘The Mitherless Bairn’ – the orphan. This work was Faed's first great success, but it was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1855, about a decade before Ballantyne painted his view of Faed’s studio. Thomas Faed was the youngest of three artist brothers. His narrative genre paintings were very popular in his lifetime and many were published as prints and were sold to a larger Victorian audience.

Le Lever [Getting up]

National Galleries of Scotland

Balthus (Balthasar Klossowski de Rola) - 1955. The model in this painting is Balthus's niece by marriage, Frédérique Tison. Seventeen years old at the time this work was painted, Frédérique became the artist's favourite model and muse. Her pose is both vulnerable and confrontational, suggesting sexual awakening. It derives from paintings by Caravaggio and Corregio. The work was painted in the artist's château near Nevers, in central France, where Balthus moved in 1953.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

Samuel John Dixon Crossing Niagara Falls Below the Great Cantilever Bridge

National Galleries of Scotland

George Barker, Samuel John Dixon - 1895. Samuel John Dixon (1852-1891) was a studio photographer in Toronto in the 1880s. In 1890, on his way to a meeting of the Photographers' Association of America in Washington, his train passed over the bridge beside the wire put there by the acrobat, Blondin, who first crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope in 1859. Dixon 'suddenly concluded that he could also walk it, and so stated to several at the convention, but no one believed he meant what he said'. He did so successfully twice, in 1890 and 1891, but tragically drowned in Wood Lake, Muskoka, later that year.

Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde, 1792 - 1863. Field-Marshal

National Galleries of Scotland

Thomas Jones Barker, Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde - 1860. The son of a Glasgow carpenter, Campbell was one of the most successful professional soldiers of the nineteenth century. He joined the army at sixteen and fought bravely as a young man in the Napoleonic Wars. Britain then enjoyed a long period of peace and it was not until the Crimean War that Campbell was again to distinguish himself. Campbell held the famous 'thin red line', keeping communication open during the defence of Balaclava in 1854. Three years later he was given supreme command in India, charged with quelling the Mutiny. This seems a small, understated, portrait for such a national hero, but it may be a study for Barker's large painting of 'The Relief of Lucknow'.

Das schlimme Jahr 1937 [The Terrible Year 1937]

National Galleries of Scotland

Ernst Barlach - 1936. This sculpture is the only wood carving by Barlach in a public collection in Britain. Although carved in 1936, it was given its allegorical title the following year in response to Hitler's notorious Degenerate 'Art' exhibition, in which Barlach was included. By the summer of 1937, nearly 400 of his works had been confiscated, through government action, from German museums. This work is typical of the figures Barlach sculpted: large, heavily robed figures alone or in pairs, symbolising an aspect of the human condition.© Ernst Barlach Lizenzverwaltung Ratzeburg

March 1957 (Starbotton)

National Galleries of Scotland

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham - 1957. This work was painted while Barns-Graham was living in Leeds and teaching at the School of Art there. The colours are influenced by the colours she saw in the city: glimpses of brightly-coloured clothing which contrasted with the dark, wintery skies. 'Starbotton' is the name of a pot-hole she visited in Yorkshire. Like most of Barns-Graham's abstract paintings, the origins of this work are from nature and the artist's own experience. Barns-Graham had a long working life, and continued to paint until her death in 2004.© Barns-Graham Charitable Trust

Zennor Rock – Rose II

National Galleries of Scotland

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham - 1953. Wilhelmina Barns-Graham’s paintings respond to geological formations and the natural environment, from seaside rocks to glaciers. This painting belongs to a group of studies inspired by the rock formations at Zennor, near St. Ives. The artist had a studio there and worked among the active artistic community in the area. In this painting, the paint has been scraped to produce a textured surface. This reveals the pencil lines underneath, which show that the work has been structured using geometrical proportions. The flattening of the picture space underlines the abstract nature of the painting, yet although abstract, Barns-Graham’s work takes the rhythms and forms of nature as its primary inspiration.© Barns-Graham Charitable Trust

A View of Stornoway

National Galleries of Scotland

James Barret - 1798. This is one of the earliest known representations of the landscape of the Western Isles of Scotland. The painting shows the newly built port of Stornoway on the island of Lewis, with a view of the inner harbour looking across the bay. A fleet of herring ships, a clipper, and the grazing cattle and sheep, together convey the growing prosperity of a town rapidly becoming the most important port in the north west of Scotland.

Samuel Johnson, 1709 - 1784. Lexicographer

National Galleries of Scotland

Francesco Bartolozzi, Samuel Johnson - 1785. This posthumous engraving shows the author and lexicographer, Samuel Johnson. Johnson had an important and far reaching affect on the English language. He is perhaps best known for his role in compiling a new English dictionary. Published in two volumes in 1755, it quickly became regarded as standard authority and has since been described as the pre-eminent British dictionary. At the same time as working on this project, Johnson established himself in other branches of writing and excelled in many, such as criticism, biography and fiction. In 1763 he met the Scottish lawyer, James Boswell, with whom he travelled to Scotland and recorded their adventures. Boswell went on to write Johnson’s biography, the ‘Life of Samuel Johnson’, which was published in 1791.

Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, born 1950. Lawyer and Politician

National Galleries of Scotland

Glenys Barton, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws - 1997. This low-relief ceramic sculpture represents Helena Kennedy QC, one of Britain’s leading lawyers and, since 1997, a Labour member of the House of Lords as Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws. Kennedy currently chairs the Human Genetics Commission, which advises the government on ethical and legal issues with regard to genetic science. She has held a variety of other important positions, including that of Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University (1994-2001), Chair of the British Council (1998-2004) and President of the National Children’s Bureau (1998-2005). Passionate about social justice, she has spent her professional life campaigning for civil liberties and promoting human rights. She has written and broadcast on a wide range of issues, from medical negligence to the rights of women and children.© Glenys Barton, Courtesy of Flowers East, London

Jean Muir, 1928 - 1995. Fashion designer

National Galleries of Scotland

Glenys Barton, Jean Muir - 1991. This unusual ceramic bust possesses the simple chic of the clothes which Jean Muir designed and is also a reference to her habit of always wearing navy blue. Muir began her working life in the shops of Liberty and Jaeger in London and successfully taught herself design. She set up her own business in 1966 and put 'craft and quality' before innovation. Her skills in cutting and draping material were exceptional but she preferred to be called a 'dressmaker' rather than 'designer'. The label is still a byword for sensual, immaculately structured garments.© Glenys Barton, Courtesy of Flowers East, London

Grosser Kopf [Large Head]

National Galleries of Scotland

Georg Baselitz - 1966. This is one of Baselitz's earliest woodcuts. It was made after a trip to Florence, where he became interested in Italian Mannerist painting. The fractured face, overlaid with worm-like forms, is characteristic of his paintings of the same time, in which parts of the figures are cut up and rearranged or are missing altogether. The imagery may be influenced by the death and destruction of the Second World War; the shapes in the background look like smoke, which would support this reading.© Georg Baselitz

Kopfkissen [Pillow]

National Galleries of Scotland

Georg Baselitz - 1987. This painting shows the expressive brushstrokes for which Baselitz became famous. He is an exponent of Neo-Expressionism, a movement that revived the spirit of German Expressionism. Baselitz felt strongly about the political problems in Germany and was deeply distrustful of political ideologies. In his use of grotesque and dismembered images of the body, Baselitz is setting himself firmly apart from the images of heroic workers, endorsed under the 'Socialist Realism' of East Germany. The style and lurid red in this painting suggest violence. Also, the head appears to be dislocated from the rest of the body.© Georg Baselitz

Ohne Titel [Untitled (Figure with Raised Arm)]

National Galleries of Scotland

Georg Baselitz - 1982 - 1984. This is one of Baselitz's largest and earliest wood carvings. He began making sculptures in 1979 and used chainsaws and axes to make them. The rough finish of the sculpture is reminiscent of tribal art, which Baselitz collects. The raised arm derives from African carvings of figures who raise their arms to signal surrender in battle. A drawing of the same figure has him holding a flag. The sculpture also has associations with the long tradition of German wood carving, which, in the early twentieth century, was revived by expressionist artists such as Kirchner.© Georg Baselitz

Volkstanz - Marode [Folkdance - Tired]

National Galleries of Scotland

Georg Baselitz - 1989. This is one of a series of paintings that Baselitz painted in the first half of 1989, with the generic title of ‘Streubilder’ (or ‘Scatter Paintings’) or ‘Ciao America’. ‘Scatter Paintings’ describes the lack of a compositional focus in works like ‘Volkstanz - Marode’. Its ‘pattern’ of tiles and heads is reminiscent of the all-over quality of American Abstract Expressionism, but the primitivist style and reference to folkdance are unapologetically European. Baselitz was at the forefront of European Neo-Expressionist painting from the 1960s onwards, which enjoyed massive popularity in the 1980s, and caused some to see European art eclipsing American art at the time. Ciao America!© Georg Baselitz

Wo ist der gelbe Milchkrug, Frau Vogel [Where is the Yellow Milkjug, Mrs Bird?]

National Galleries of Scotland

Georg Baselitz - 1989. Like ‘Volkstanz Marode’, this painting belongs to the series of works called ‘Streubilder’ (‘Scatter Paintings’) or ‘Ciao America’, that Baselitz painted in the first half of 1989. The work has the same all-over distribution of form (birds, in this case) and unifying background colour as ‘Volkstanz’. There is also a similar primitivist, expressionist brushwork and folkloric subject matter, that marks them both out as unapologetically European, as opposed to the (on the whole) cooler, conceptual approach of American artists at the time. Hence the title of some of Baselitz’s contemporary paintings, ‘Ciao America’.© Georg Baselitz

Portrait of a Bearded Man

National Galleries of Scotland

Jacopo Bassano (Jacopo dal Ponte) - 1560s. In this portrait sketch, the artist chose to focus on the pose of the figure’s body rather than his facial features. The man is seated informally with his arms resting on the arms of a chair and with his hands clasped. There is no surviving portrait by Bassano that matches this pose, but he may have been experimenting with different seated positions with the intention of producing a painted portrait. This would explain why the features have been given less attention than the torso and arms. The free handling of the drawing is consistent with Bassano’s later work, and probably dates from the 1560s or 1570s.

The Adoration of the Kings

National Galleries of Scotland

Jacopo Bassano (Jacopo dal Ponte), Jesus Christ, The Virgin Mary, St Joseph - early 1540s. The Holy Family, at the left of Bassano's richly coloured work, acknowledges the visiting kings and their gifts. The central figure in the painting, however, is the king in the striped doublet. He may be identified as a portrait of the painting's patron, Jacopo Gisi. The two page-boys behind him may also be portraits of his sons. Bassano's interest in complex foreshortened poses is evident in the densely packed group, especially in the figures and animals seen from behind. Many details were based on his previous compositions and on his studies from nature, although the ruined architecture is adapted from a woodcut by Dürer.

The Adoration of the Shepherds (after Jacopo Bassano)

National Galleries of Scotland

Leandro Bassano (Leandro dal Ponte), Jesus Christ, The Virgin Mary - . This drawing is loose copy of the bottom portion of an altarpiece by Leandro’s father Jacopo Bassano. Jacopo had painted The Adoration of the Shepherds in 1568 for the church of San Giuseppe in his native town of Bassano del Grappa (it is now in the Museo Civico there). The picture quickly became one of Jacopo’s most celebrated works and was widely copied. This drawing would have been used in Jacopo’s workshop by assistants who were frequently set the task of making painted reproductions of celebrated original works by the master. Compositions were often recorded in drawings as a memory aid, and there are other existing examples of Leandro and his brothers making copies after finished paintings.

Pas Mèche (Nothing Doing)

National Galleries of Scotland

Jules Bastien-Lepage - 1882. A young boy looks directly out of the painting clad in raggedy clothes and large unlaced boots. His relaxed air fits the title which is an abbreviation of the French slang: 'Il n'y a pas meche' meaning 'There's nothing doing'. The whip he holds and the horn slung on his back suggest that he was a barge boy who would have controlled the horses pulling the barge and alerted the lockmasters of its imminent arrival. The painting was made for the London art dealers Arthur Tooth and Sons and was included in the artist's memorial exhibition held in Paris in 1885.

Sir Harry Lauder, 1870 - 1950. Comedian

National Galleries of Scotland

Henry Mayo Bateman, Sir Harry Lauder - 1915. The music-hall star Harry Lauder was sometimes blamed for creating a commercial image of the kilted Scot, but he was a much-loved man and a hugely successful perfomer. Typically dressed in fantastic tartans and holding a crooked stick, he interspersed his songs, such as ' I Love a Lassie' and 'Roamin' in the Gloamin', with comic patter. This caricature captures not only the distinctive costume, but also the vibrant energy of this tiny figure.© The Artist’s Estate

Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon (1743 - 1827)

National Galleries of Scotland

Pompeo Batoni, Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon - 1764. Alexander Gordon, who became the 4th Duke of Gordon at the age of nine, went on a Grand Tour of Europe to complete his education. This portrait of him was painted in Rome by Batoni, the fashionable portrait painter popular with the British aristocracy in Italy. Usually Batoni's Grand Tour portraits make references to the antiquities of Rome, but here he has emphasised Gordon's passion for hunting. The young duke was not particularly interested in the ancient sites or classical learning.

James Bruce of Kinnaird, 1730 - 1794. African explorer

National Galleries of Scotland

Pompeo Batoni, James Bruce of Kinnaird - 1762. James Bruce was, at six feet four inches tall, an impressive figure. He was an explorer, archeologist and a brilliant linguist. In 1762 he spent six months in Italy where Batoni painted this glowing portrait. Bruce's travels subsequently took him to North Africa, Crete, Syria, Egypt and Abyssinia. He is best known for his exploration of the sources of the Nile, reaching the headstream of the Blue Nile in 1770.

Design for Wrapping Paper (Bagpipe Player)

National Galleries of Scotland

Edward Bawden - 1960. This linocut design was made to be reproduced as wrapping paper. From the late 1950s, Bawden increasingly used linocuts instead of drawings in his graphic work. As a straightforward and cost-effective method of printing, Bawden found linocuts to be the most suitable way to make repeating patterns for wallpaper or wrapping paper as one printing block could produce many shapes. In this bold and distinctly Scottish design, the green checked lines reflect the tartan pattern on the piper’s kilt. Despite the simplification of the piper, he retains individuality and character.© The Estate of Edward Bawden

Design for Wrapping Paper (Deer and Trees)

National Galleries of Scotland

Edward Bawden - 1960. This linocut design was made to be reproduced as wrapping paper. From the late 1950s, Bawden increasingly used linocuts instead of drawings in his graphic work. As a straightforward and cost-effective method of printing, Bawden found linocuts to be the most suitable way to make repeating patterns for wallpaper or wrapping paper, as one printing block could produce many shapes. This design shows Bawden’s skill in condensing and conveying the essential qualities of his subject, here using short strokes to suggest both the shape of the deer and the texture of its fur.© The Estate of Edward Bawden

Sir James Hope Grant

National Galleries of Scotland

Felice Beato, Sir James Hope Grant - 1860. James Hope Grant was a professional soldier who served in most of the major campaigns in China and India of his day. Between 1839 and 1842 he fought in the Opium War when the British took possession of Hong Kong. This photograph was taken during the 1860 campaign when he led a combined French and British force to 'encourage' the Emperor of China to recognise his European trading treaties. Felice Beato arrived in China for the taking of Peking (Beijing) and photographed the general with the mud of the battlefield still on his boots in a makeshift studio.

Die Hölle (Hell): Das Martyrium (Martyrdom)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. Beckmann was influenced by Christian iconography in this scene. It is similar to depictions of the Crucifixion and also of the Deposition from the Cross. The soldiers who poke the woman with their rifles are reminiscent of the soldiers who mocked Christ. The central female figure is widely agreed to be the revolutionary leader Rosa Luxemburg, who was murdered by government troops in January 1919 for her leading role in the Revolution.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Das Patriotische Lied (Patriotic Song)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. The inspiration for this print came from an incident Beckmann witnessed in a railway station waiting room, when his fellow travellers began singing the National anthem 'Deutschland über alles.' The appearance of the figures in this scene make their rousing patriotic song about Germany's greatness look bitterly ironic. In the foreground a drunken soldier shouts raucously, while in the background a poor family beg for money. Another man simply rests his head on the table in despair. Even the Imperial Eagle (Germany's heraldic emblem) on the teacups looks like a pathetic scrawl or an insect.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Der Hunger (Hunger)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. In this print, Beckmann has depicted an interior scene. In comparison to the rest of the prints in the portfolio, this one is distinct by virtue of it being framed in black and quiet in mood. This helps to make it stand out from the chaotic scenes shown in the other prints. The scene was apparently inspired by a meagre meal of sardines that the artist shared with his son and relatives in Berlin. The shadowy figure in the background may refer to Christ, with the Lamb of God at his feet.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Der Nachhauseweg (The Way Home)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. This print depicts Beckmann himself greeting a disfigured soldier who has returned from the war. He beckons towards the left in order to guide him, like the viewer, through the next nine scenes of the portfolio. These show the reality of life in postwar Germany. In the background are war veterans on crutches and a female figure who may be a prostitute or a war widow wearing a veil. The dog in the foreground refers to Cerberus, the mythical creature who guards the gates of Hell.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Die Familie (The Family)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. This is the final scene from the 'Hell' print portfolio. After previous prints showing chaos and destruction, we end on a more subdued, if sombre, note. Beckmann depicts himself with his mother-in-law and son Peter. Peter wears a soldier's helmet and waves toy grenades. However, his youthful joy contrasts with the solemn face and firm, calming gesture of his grandmother. Beckmann points upwards, either to draw attention to the hellish reality outside, or in a reproach to God. The window frame in the background forms the shape of a cross behind his head.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Die Ideologen (Ideologues)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. In this depiction of a political meeting, Beckmann has included caricatures of some historical figures. Around the central figure of the speaker at the lectern, we have angry hecklers and a selection of figures who seem engrossed in their own thoughts. The man shown in profile under the lectern is Beckmann himself, but it is hard to read his expression to tell if he is bored or disgusted with the proceedings. This meeting of the supposed spiritual and intellectual leaders of the new post-war society looks completely shambolic.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Die Letzten (The Last Ones)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. Beckmann based this print on press photographs of the Revolution. The revolutionaries are making a last stand against the government. The viewer's eye is drawn across the scene to the top left-hand side, towards an unseen enemy. The man seen in profile at the centre of the scene wielding a machine-gun appears to be Beckmann himself. If that is the case, it may be that the artist is supporting the cause of the revolutionaries; however, despite their noble cause, damage is still incurred, and injured and dying men lie on the ground.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Die Nacht (Night)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. This print is probably the best known from the 'Hell' portfolio. The same scene was also painted by Beckmann shortly before starting work on these prints. It is certainly the most violent and horrific scene in the portfolio, showing the terror of a family attacked in their home. There is a sense of confusion, as it is difficult to determine exactly why the event is happening. In the bottom left corner we can see a howling dog, a reappearance from 'Der Nachhauseweg', one of the earlier prints in the series.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Die Strasse (The Street)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. In this busy scene a number of different types of people are seen mixing on the street. Injured war veterans try and earn a living, while prostitutes and the poor mix with the bourgeois and 'respectable' citizens. A man with outstretched arms is carried through the crowd, while passers-by seem not to notice. He appears to be injured, but we do not know if he is being saved or taken away for another reason. This figure may refer to the anarchist writer Gustav Landauer who was murdered as part of the uprising in May 1919.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell): Malepartus

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. The name of this print is taken from a nightclub in Frankfurt-am-Main. However it does not seem as if any of the figures in this scene are particularly enjoying themselves. The rigid arms of the dancers make them look as if they are doing a military drill. This desperate seeking after pleasurable activities was one of the symptoms of the postwar collapse of the economy and government in Germany. The use of jagged diagonals make the scene look quite frenzied, while the dance floor seems to be collapsing into the centre, as if set on a sinking ship.© DACS 2004

Die Hölle (Hell). Title page: Selbstbildnis (Self-Portrait)

National Galleries of Scotland

Max Beckmann - 1919. This is the title page of Beckmann’s set of lithographs entitled ‘Hell.’ These lithographs chronicle the period of lawlessness, social decay and misery in Germany following the November Revolution of 1918. Dressed in the ruff of a clown and breaking out of the picture frame towards the viewer, Beckmann himself invites us to follow him on a tour of war-ravaged Germany. A text below the self-portrait states, ‘We ask our esteemed public to step forward. You will not be bored for ten minutes. Anyone who is not delighted gets his money back.’© DACS 2004

Mer de Glace

National Galleries of Scotland

Francis Bedford - 1860s. Bedford was a skilled landscape photographer and this is one of his most spectacular views. The Mer de Glace is a glacier in the French Alps, just North of Mont Blanc. Its name derives from the wave-like appearance of the snow and ice. Bedford faced enormous difficulties working at such high altitudes and he may well have used dry collodion plates prepared in advance in order to reduce the amount of equipment he had to carry. His work reflects intense contemporary interest in mountaineering and exploration.

Harry McShane, 1891 - 1988. Socialist activist

National Galleries of Scotland

Stanley Bell, Harry McShane - 1981. Harry McShane is sometimes referred to as ‘The Last of the Red Clydesiders’ and is known for his active role in Glasgow’s working class movement. Whilst working as an engineer, McShane helped organise the unemployed in the 1920s and 30s, arranging demonstrations, hunger marches and protests throughout Scotland. His efforts led to the creation of a permanent organisation, the National Unemployed Workers Movement. In 1922, McShane joined the Communist Party, but later resigned because of ideological differences, although he remained a Marxist. This portrait draws attention to McShane’s commitment to socialism through his defiant expression, his vibrant red tie and the shipyards in the background.© Stan Bell

Allegory

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany - 1964. This triptych was exhibited at Bellany's postgraduate exhibition in 1965, when the artist was twenty-three years old. The layout of 'Allegory' derives from Grünewald's 'Isenheim' Altarpiece, but the subject matter is autobiographical. As a student, Bellany had a Saturday job gutting fish in Port Seton, a small fishing village south of Edinburgh. The setting of 'Allegory' is a mixture of Port Seton and Eyemouth (another fishing port), where Bellany's grandparents lived. The gutted haddock, displayed in the manner of the Crucifixion, become metaphors for suffering humanity; the passive fishermen replace Christ's family and the Roman soldiers. Bellany has given religious monumentality to a real-life scene. © the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

Billy Connolly, b. 1942. Entertainer

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany, Billy Connolly - . This large portrait depicts – though not necessarily resembles – Scottish comedian and actor Billy Connolly. Born in Glasgow, Connolly served an apprenticeship as a welder in the Clyde shipyards before embarking on a career in show business. He initially focussed on being a folk singer but gradually made the transition to stand-up comedy. His break-through came when he told his famous bike joke on BBC’s Parkinson talk show in 1975. He has since performed for sell-out audiences the world over, produced three ‘World Tour’ series for the BBC and has acted in films including ‘Mrs Brown’ (1995), opposite Dame Judi Dench as Queen Victoria. His Scottish nickname ‘The Big Yin’ (The Big One) is a reference to his 1.83m (6 foot) height. © the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

John Bellany, b. 1942. Artist (Self-portrait) (with Alan Davie, b. 1920)

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany, John Bellany, Alan Davie - Dated 1983. During the mid-1980s, John Bellany increasingly focused on portraiture as a creative outlet. Rather than achieving as close a likeness as possible, Bellany’s portraits are vibrant visual statements that often say something about himself as well as the sitter. Not surprisingly, the self-portrait is central to the artist’s oeuvre. In this image, the artist – on the right – and fellow artist Alan Davie seem compressed by magical symbols, which play a large role in both men’s work. This double portrait is the homage of one artist to another; just as Bellany's paintings have inspired the younger generation of Scottish artists, so did Alan Davie's before that inspire Bellany's generation. Yet it is also a painting where the two artists, side by side, watch us, the public, inspect their work.© the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

Kinlochbervie

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany - 1966. Kinlochbervie is a small fishing village in the north-west of Scotland. As in many of Bellany’s early paintings, this work combines sea and religious imagery. The fish gutters in the foreground are in a ‘Last Supper’ arrangement and a figure at the top right carries a yoke which gives him the appearance of being crucified. It is one of the first paintings in which Bellany shows a single boat with fishermen outlined against a clear sky. The boat is used symbolically to represent a conveyor of human fate like the mythical boat used to ferry the dead across the river Styx to Hades.© the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

Lap Dog

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany - about 1973. This painting explores themes of carnal desire, death and religion, using animals in a symbolic manner. The central female figure is blinded by the sheep mask she wears - the sheep representing self-sacrifice in the Christian tradition. Normally a symbol of marital fidelity, a dog sits in a provocative and phallic position on her lap. Displaying herself openly, the woman is watched by a male figure on the left, who is a thinly-veiled portrait of the artist. The ghostly figure is dressed in deathly black and white and is accompanied by a phallic-looking monkey, the symbol of both lust and art. The relationship between the male and female figures is set against the religious imagery of the ladder and fish-head in the top right of the picture.© the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

My Father

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany - 1966. In this portrait,Bellany has paid close attention to the weather-beaten quality of his father's head and hands. These tell most about the character of the sitter and his life. The tattoo on his left arm says 'True love Nancy'. His wife Nancy (the artist's mother) was extremely important to him, to the extent that he gave up being a fisherman in 1951, to alleviate her anxiety, when he was at sea. The sitter rests against what appears to be one of the artist's own paintings, showing fishermen, a reference to the sitter's profession. © the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

Self-Portrait (from 'The Addenbrookes Hospital Series')

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany, John Bellany - 12 May 1988. John Bellany has always used his immediate surroundings and his own experiences as raw material for his art. In 1988 the artist underwent liver transplant surgery. As soon as he came out of the intensive care unit at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, Bellany set to work producing self-portraits, and charting the course of his hospitalisation and convalescence and covering the walls of his hospital room with drawings and watercolours. They reflect the inevitable ups and downs of the patient: the intense physical pain, the discomfort and fears that he might not pull through, and then the optimism about a new lease of life.© the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, b. 1934. Composer

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies - 1991. The composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies has lived on a croft on the island of Hoy in Orkney since 1970. The island has been the inspiration for much of his work and he is also closely associated with the annual St Magnus Festival. The Gallery commissioned John Bellany to paint this portrait. When Bellany first met Maxwell Davies he was struck by his piercing black eyes ('like Picasso's') and powerful charisma. Bellany knew he could 'do something extraordinary'. During the sittings, artist and composer discussed the creative act and found much common ground: 'The painting blossomed, a friendship was born and the whole experience was a joy'. © the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

The Bereaved One

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany - 1968. The theme of death recurs in Bellany’s paintings of the 1960s-70s, and it forms the background to this painting of his maternal grandmother, Mrs Maltman, who had been recently widowed. Depicted sitting up in bed with the Bible open before her and confronting the viewer with an intense gaze, she is dignified and serene - in every sense the matriarch of the family. Bellany is very close to his family and has represented various members of it in paintings and drawings since childhood. He used variations of this image in a series of paintings in the period 1969-72.© the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

The Ventriloquist

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bellany - 1983. Paintings of the sea and fishing boats are central to Bellany’s oeuvre. This picture is a development from earlier paintings of fishermen holding up skate, with the features of the fish giving voice to the men’s emotions. However, this image is more sinister due to the presence of the skeletal figure, transforming the skate into mouthpieces of the dead in general, and of those who have died at sea. Bellany’s paintings are intimately connected with the human figure, and particularly with his own life. However, he often uses animals to reflect different aspects of human nature. Bellany underwent several personal crises during the 1980s, which are reflected in the choice of harrowing subject matter and the agitated, expressive brushwork found in his paintings at this time.© the Artist / Bridgeman Art Library. All rights reserved.

La Poupée [The Doll]

National Galleries of Scotland

Hans Bellmer - 1933 - 1935. This photograph previously belonged to André Breton, the leader of the surrealist group, who was a great admirer of Bellmer's work. It shows Bellmer's second doll, made in 1935. Bellmer made several dolls, the first one in 1933, all of which had moveable parts that could be put together in many strange and disquieting combinations. Bellmer's photographs of his doll are carefully staged in both interior and exterior settings. They show how photography could further explore the eroticism of the doll and the obsessive desire that led to its creation.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

Oeillades ciselëes en branche [Glances cut from the branch]

National Galleries of Scotland

Hans Bellmer, Georges Hugnet - 1939. Hugnet and Bellmer became close friends after Bellmer’s move to Paris in the late 1930s and 'Œillades ciselés en branche' is evidence of the sympathy and understanding between them. This pocket-sized book is a perfect example of the artist’s book, surrealist-style. Text and image are designed to reinforce each other, creating a fantasy-world of extraordinary intensity. The book contains Hugnet’s prose poem in praise of adolescent girls, inspired by Bellmer's famous articulated Poupée (doll). The text is complemented by twenty-four exquisite Bellmer drawings. ‘Oeillades’ was dedicated to the women both men loved. This de-luxe copy was Hugnet’s own. He had a special leather box made lined inside with dried violet petals arranged under a white silk mesh.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2010 (and) © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2010

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Hans Bellmer - about 1935 - 1936. This drawing is dedicated to the young French poetess and Surrealist muse Gisèle Prassinos. The Gallery also owns a photograph of Prassinos reading her poetry to an enraptured group of Surrealists. In 1935 Bellmer made the frontispiece for a book by Prassinos and the following year the fifteen-year-old dedicated several of her writings to Bellmer. This drawing is believed to have been made by Bellmer around this time. White ink on black paper was a favourite medium of the artist. The subject of Bellmer’s drawing is a typically perverse twist on the fairytale idea of a princess being menaced by a dragon. A fearsome dragon emerges from a fireplace like a grasping hand while two female victims are suspended from the ceiling.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2006

The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne

National Galleries of Scotland

Ambrosius Benson, Jesus Christ, The Virgin Mary, St Anne - . In this painting the Virgin and her mother, St. Anne, sit side by side. They offer the Christ Child an apple, a reference to the forbidden fruit Eve offered Adam in the Garden of Eden. It is also a symbol of the burden of the sins of mankind that Christ will bear. Benson’s elegant figures are painted with rich colours using his typically delicate touch, and both the Virgin and her mother are given equal compositional importance. This results in a superbly balanced image. In the left background, an angel draws water from the Fountain of Life. Benson was renowned for such small scale devotional pieces, teeming with incident and detail.

Celtic Supporters, Glasgow

National Galleries of Scotland

Harry Benson - 1971 (print 2007). This photograph by Benson captures ecstatic Celtic football supporters cheering as their team scored a goal in 1971. The composition is crammed with figures smiling, cheering and clapping, with many making eye contact with Benson’s lens. This highlights Benson’s ability to secure the most intriguing, and often surprising, shot. Whilst the spectators are watching the players on the pitch, Benson is facing the crowd, ready to capture the instant emotion and celebration that explodes when a team scores a goal.© Harry Benson

Ethel Kennedy, Los Angeles

National Galleries of Scotland

Harry Benson, Ethel Kennedy - 1968 (print 2007). This dramatic photograph of Ethel Kennedy stirred controversy and debate over the ethics of photojournalism following its publication hours after the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles, 1968. Led to where her husband lay Mrs Kennedy bent down by his side and whispered “I’m with you my baby”. She then stood, turned to the crown and shouted “give him air”. Benson has captured this moment of raw emotion and trauma perfectly. Her outreached hand is blurred and slightly obscures her face, yet her eyes engage the viewer and reveal her anguish. Just after securing this shot, Benson was knocked to the floor by a Kennedy aide. Instinctively he changed films and hid the valuable spool, which featured many of his iconic pictures of the scene, down his sock.© Harry Benson

Robert Kennedy, Los Angeles

National Galleries of Scotland

Harry Benson, Robert Kennedy - 1968 (print 2007). In 1968 a press conference was held in Los Angeles for Senator Bobby Kennedy after his victory in the Californian primary. Following his speech, Benson trailed the entourage through the kitchen of the hotel. Although he did not hear the gun shots, Harry recalls thinking: “This is it”. He climbed on to a cooker hob and began taking pictures of the slain Senator - “I kept thinking, he’d understand how important this is, recording history, doing my job”. This photograph appears calm and composed even though it captures a moment of mayhem. Looking down from above, Benson evokes the sense of something spiritual watching over Kennedy’s lifeless body. The white shirts of the two figures, together with Kennedy’s, create a triangle that focuses attention on the Senator’s unresponsive face.© Harry Benson

The Bird Trap: Encampment with a Figure on a White Horse

National Galleries of Scotland

Nicolaes Berchem - about 1645 - 1646. This picture is typical of Berchem’s early work, when he was still producing scenes that resemble the area around his native town, Haarlem. The hunters here are preparing to catch small birds, almost certainly finches. The nets in the foreground and slung behind the horseman’s saddle are typical for this type of hunting and the dunes along the North Sea, such as those outside Haarlem, were optimal places for catching finches.

Francis Bacon in his Studio, 1984

National Galleries of Scotland

Bruce Bernard - 1984. Bruce Bernard first met Francis Bacon around 1948, when Bacon was already established as a controversial artist, following the exhibition of his painting ‘Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion’. This photograph shows the artist at the age of seventy-five, in his studio in Reece Mews, Kensington, London. Bacon worked in this studio from 1961 until his death in 1992. The chaotic studio was vital to the artist’s working process, as piles of photographs, newspapers, catalogues and magazines provided visual inspiration. Instead of using a palette, Bacon mixed paint on any surface he could find, including the walls and door of his studio, as can be seen here. After Bacon’s death his studio was reconstructed at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, the city of Bacon’s birth.© The Estate of Bruce Bernard

Frank Auerbach in his Studio

National Galleries of Scotland

Frank Auerbach, Bruce Bernard - 2000. Bernard took this portrait of German-born British painter Frank Auerbach just a week before his own death. Auerbach left Nazi Germany and moved to England in 1939. He met Bernard in the 1950s and this portrait is one of several Bernard took of artists in their studios. It shows Auerbach looking directly into the camera with a somewhat grave, yet compassionate expression – perhaps he was aware that Bernard did not have long left to live. The background features several sketches by Auerbach pinned to a wall and a large mirror with a length of cord looped over the edge. There is a sinister undertone to this composition as the cord reaches down Auerbach’s reflection like a noose about to be placed around his neck.© Estate of Bruce Bernard

Leigh Bowery posing for Lucian Freud with the painting ‘Leigh under the Skylight’, 1994

National Galleries of Scotland

Bruce Bernard - 1994. The flamboyant performance artist Leigh Bowery (1961-1994) was a favourite model of Freud. He first saw Bowery perform at the Anthony d’Offay Gallery in London, when he appeared in a variety of colourful and dramatic outfits. The artist became fascinated by this strange figure - the shape of his body, tone of his skin and his monumental presence. Freud preferred to know his models well in order to portray them most effectively. He made several paintings of Bowery over a period of four years, during which time they became friends. It was a relationship of mutual inspiration, as Freud considered his model to be ‘perfectly beautiful’ and Bowery loved to pose for Freud. He explained that, ‘because he is an artist who always works in the figurative idiom he has given me lots of ideas’.© The Estate of Bruce Bernard

Michael Andrews in his Norfolk Studio with 'A View from Uamh Mhor' in progress

National Galleries of Scotland

Bruce Bernard - 1990. Bernard met Andrews in the early 1950s and he was one of several important post-war British artists whom Bernard knew and photographed in their studios. This portrait features Andrews standing in front of an unfinished painting. A notoriously slow and careful painter, this image reveals something of his working process in the large canvas tilted at an angle behind him. Yet, like Bernard’s other photos, it is more than a simple photo-documentation. The commanding stance of the artist against the unusually rotated canvas can perhaps be seen as revealing more of Andrews’ personality - described by Bernard as: “thoughtful, dedicated and in his way very ambitious…[but] also socially quite manic”. Andrews painted Bernard’s portrait in the same year.© Estate of Bruce Bernard.

Portrait of Francis Bacon, 1984

National Galleries of Scotland

Bruce Bernard - 1984. Bernard took several photographs of the artist Francis Bacon in his studio in 1984. The pair met around 1948, and at that point Bacon had established himself as one of the most controversial figures in post-war British art – a status he retained throughout his remaining career. However, this portrait varies from the others Bernard took of Bacon. It is a close-up of just his face (in comparison to those where an importance was also placed on his studio). Cropped across his forehead and chin, the framing accentuates his frank expression and look of knowing intelligence. This recalls what Bernard wrote about him in 1995: “He seemed quite unique to me at twenty – magical – his extraordinary energy and intelligence.”© Estate of Bruce Bernard

Portrait Bust of Monsignor Carlo Antonio dal Pozzo, Archbishop of Pisa (1547 - 1607)

National Galleries of Scotland

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Monsignor Carlo Antonio dal Pozzo - 1620. The arresting power and vitality of this portrait are typical of Bernini's achievement with such works. His chiselling is so fine that the marble seems to take on the properties of skin, hair and silk. The slight twist to the head and shoulders and the rippling folds and buttons enhance its lifelike appearance, although it was carved fifteen years after the sitter's death. Bernini made the bust for the archbishop's nephew, Cassiano dal Pozzo, around 1622-4. He was one of the most distinguished and learned figures in the cultural life of Rome. The bust was displayed in a prominent position in his palace.

Classical Landscape

National Galleries of Scotland

Jean-Victor Bertin - 1800. This highly finished painting features details such as trees, plants, rocky outcrops and ruins which were based on drawings made from nature. The composition, however, represents Bertin's imaginative interpretation of a classical pastoral scene, representing an idealised vision. In the foreground by a broken tree stump, two young women hold up garlands of flowers, while in the shade of trees at the centre right, shepherds make an offering to a statue of Pan, the ancient Greek god of the woods and protector of shepherds and their flocks.

Sultan Mohammed II (1430 - 1481)ry Conquering Greece, Trebizond and Asia, in Triumph, 1451)

National Galleries of Scotland

Bertoldo di Giovanni, Sultan Mohammed II - 1451. Sultan Mohammed was a leading patron of technology and culture, in both the East and West. In March 1480, Mohammed sent a special envoy to Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence requesting the services of several artists, including bronze sculptors. Bertoldo's medal was probably a gift for Mohammed from Lorenzo - intended as a pendant to the Sultan's gift for Lorenzo, which was a similar medal by Gentile Bellini, who was working in Istanbul at that time. This is the only known signed example of a medal by Bertoldo.

Robert Burns, 1759 - 1796. Poet

National Galleries of Scotland

John Beugo, Robert Burns, Archibald Skirving - 1801. This portrait of Scottish poet Robert Burns is a line engraving, based on a drawing by Archibald Skirving. In its turn, Skirving’s drawing was inspired by Alexander Nasmyth’s famous half-length portrait of Burns – one of the very few portraits created from the life. Beugo’s engraving combines the fashionable dress and rural background of Nasmyth’s painting with the idealised, dreamy features of Skirving’s portrait drawing of Burns. All three works are in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland. This engraving was part of a large bequest made to the Galleries in 1886 by William Findlay Watson, who was a keen collector of prints and drawings.

+ -

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962. Beuys's distinctive cross symbol appears in this work. Unusually however, it is painted in grey oil paint instead of brown and is balanced by a negative symbol on the accompanying part of the work. These symbols connect this painting with electricity and energy, recalling the positive and negative terminals of a battery and energy created through chemical reaction. The presence of both symbols here suggests a state of balance. The image to the left appears to be a leaping female figure and although the right side is more difficult to decipher it may be intended to be masculine in tone, to balance the femininity.© DACS 2008

2 Rote Fische [Two Red Fish]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1954. This painting echoes the artist's sculptural work of the same period. It was made while Beuys was creating a series of reliefs of animals, including different fish and sea creatures, from slate. The use of colour in Beuys's work is always significant as he used it like a substance or material, meaning that colour became particularly important and representative. The bright red suggests blood, and, in turn, life. The symbol of the fish has also been used to represent life by several different religious groups. Beuys once expressed the opinion that fish represent continuity, as, unlike man, they cannot escape their fixed point in evolution.© DACS 2008

2 Schafskopfe

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1961-1975. The title of this drawing translates as '2 Sheep's heads', which are represented by shapes torn in the dark-painted paper. It is a two-part work, with one part painted in oil paint and the other in oil paint and fat. Beuys often used fat as a substance in his 'actions' and sculptures, however he used it less frequently in his drawings due to the nature of the material. He viewed fat as an alchemical material, with multiple uses. Fat could be a source of nourishment and fuel, as well as representing warmth and the creative principle. Beuys made a multiple based on this work.© DACS 2008

A Party for Animals

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1969. This work bears the circular stamp of the German Student Party, in red ink. Formed by Beuys in 1967, the artist commented 'The German Student Party is the world's largest party, but most of its members are animals'. The names handwritten beside the typed list of words is presumably a list of party members, including the name of the artist. Beuys was greatly involved with student politics in the 1960s and 1970s whilst he was a professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. He later went on to co-found the Green Party in Germany.© DACS 2008

Acer Platanoides

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1945. The natural sciences were one of Beuys's great interests from an early age. As a child he collected and catalogued biological specimens and made a small laboratory in his house. His study was aided by a copy of Carl Linnaeus's book of classification for the natural world, 'Systema Naturae', which Beuys was able to save from a Nazi book burning at his school library. This is the earliest work by Beuys in the ARTIST ROOMS collection, made when the artist was twenty-four years old. The leaf is from a Norway maple tree, a species native to central and eastern Europe.© DACS 2008

Actress

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1956. Joseph Beuys's drawings often show women as actresses or witches. This is not intended to be derogatory, but rather refers to women taking on a role and performing, much like the artist's own adoption of the guise of a shaman. The torn paper of this drawing suggests that it has been damaged, but Beuys would draw on anything that came to hand when he had an idea, which gives this work a sense of immediacy. The exclusion of the woman's head would also have been done deliberately. In concentrating on the body, Beuys has depicted a curvy figure, with touches of pink to suggest the warmth of the flesh.© DACS 2008

Aktrice

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. The subject of this drawing, the actress, recalls Beuys's drawings of the 1950s where women appeared frequently in the guise of actresses or sometimes witches. At that time, the women were shown as intangible, almost mythical figures. Here, however, the figure has been drawn in more detail, with the face individualised to a greater extent than previously seen. Her bracelets and the tool in her hand suggest a tribal association but also stress the active side of the female principle. Yet Beuys still keeps her within the confines of a narrow triangle, showing her without context and unable to interact with the rest of the world.© DACS 2008

Aktricen [Actresses]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. Beuys's use of the term 'actresses' in his drawings of women makes reference to the idea of performance, in the same way as the artist created the persona of a shaman for himself. Indeed, in some of his performances ('actions') Beuys assumed the role of the female principle. This drawing is dominated by three upright female figures who stride confidently across the image, with the body of a naked woman, drawn in pencil, forming a backdrop. Although there are four figures on the page, each one is isolated from the others and not individualised in any way – a typical feature of Beuys's depictions of women in the 1950s.© DACS 2008

Angel Whale

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1953. Beuys's depictions of fish and sea creatures are an extension of his lifelong interest in animals. In combining angel and whale, he brings together the heavens and the depth of the sea: an intangible spirit crossed with an enormous mammal. Beuys often turned animals into gods. He wrote: "Animals are in reality also angelic beings. They speak of a realm above human beings, of a spiritual dimension, contained within people themselves". Although the hook shape suggests physical danger for the whale, it may also refer to the ancient tribal custom of attaching fish hooks to the mouth and nostrils of a dead person in order to catch the soul as it escapes from the body.© DACS 2008

Astral Chemical Goddess

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1974. At the centre of this drawing is a figure, who we can assume is the Goddess. To her left and right, a pair of hares extend their paws tentatively towards the woman, as if to keep her anchored to the ground. For Beuys, the hare was connected with fertility and the earth; in the same way he felt women were also. He depicted both women and hares as means of connection between earthly and unearthly worlds. Here, 'Astral' suggests a heavenly link and making the figure as a Goddess highlights the artist's interest in primitive rituals and tribal magic.© DACS 2008

Aufruf

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1978-1983. Beuys loved using simple and everyday materials in his work. He made many works in which newspapers were painted with Braunkreuz paint, obscuring most of the surface, but leaving small areas uncovered, often to make a particular point by highlighting words or images. Here, only the edge of a column of text remains visible. The ink stamp at the top of the work contains the image of a bull's head inside a diamond shape. The words around the image are smudged, but the word 'Kassel' can be seen at the bottom left. This German city is the location for the international modern art fair which is held every five years.© DACS 2008

aus dem Leben der Bienen [From the Life of the Bees]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1954. Bees were among the animals in which Beuys was most interested and they appear in his work through his life. While at art school he produced a series of drawings called 'Queen Bees', but his interest may have begun after reading the philosopher Rudolf Steiner's 1923 lecture on bees in which Steiner compared the functioning of a beehive to human society. Beuys viewed bees as a symbol of socialism due to the way in which they live and work together; he was also fascinated by the production of honey. The scientific apparatus featured in this drawing reappears in other works by Beuys of the mid-to late 1950s.© DACS 2008

Badezimmer der Circe

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1954 - 1958. Circe is a figure from Greek mythology, sometimes depicted as a witch or sorceress. She transformed her enemies into animals by giving them magic potions, a fact which reflects Beuys's interest in shamanism. This work, which is a collage of paper on board, also shows the artist's interest in the Irish writer James Joyce. Joyce's epic novel 'Ulysses', contains an episode in the second part called 'Circe', and from 1958 to 1961 Beuys wrote two new chapters for 'Ulysses'. Joyce is believed by some critics to be the addressee of the group of drawings Beuys assembled called 'The secret block for a secret person in Ireland'.© DACS 2008

Battery

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. This collage refers to the artist's interest in sources of energy and power. A battery can be either a portable source of energy, or an instrument that converts chemical to electrical energy. Used as a motif, the battery would have appealed to the artist for its capacity to store or transform energy and in its ability to convert one type of energy to another. Beuys later used the concept of the battery in his series of sculptural works called 'Fonds'.© DACS 2008

Beobachtung für Katze [Observation on the Cat]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1956. Amongst the flurry of pencil lines in this drawing, we can make out parts of a cat – claws, head, ears, teeth and limbs appear, with a long striped body at the bottom corner. Beuys's approach to drawing has been compared to Leonardo da Vinci in its investigative manner. Like Leonardo, Beuys had the enquiring mind of a scientist and the same interest in understanding the natural world. This work shows the artist's exploration of the shape of his subject, building form by assembling shapes. It shows how Beuys used drawing as a way of exploring the world, as well as capturing his ideas.© DACS 2008

Beuys Family Personal Archive of 422 Posters

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964-1986. This collection documents some of Beuys's most important works – from exhibitions of drawings and sculpture, to performances of his 'actions', many of the posters are signed by the artist, and some feature his circular ink stamp reading 'Hauptstrom' (Mainstream). The distinctive figure of Beuys is seen on many, while others show iconic images of his sculpture. Relating to exhibitions and events from all over the world, they chart an active and varied career. Of the 421 posters, 288 were published during the artist's lifetime, while the rest were published after his death.© DACS 2008

Blue on Centre

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1984. Although Beuys did not create art in a deliberately abstract style, this work is reminiscent of German artist Josef Albers's series of works 'Homage to the Square', as well as of the colourful abstracts of Beuys's favourite pupil, Blinky Palermo. The use of the square here focuses attention on the simplicity of the shape and the colour, made all the more striking by the neutral cardboard background. Beuys viewed colour as a 'material', using it deliberately and sparingly. As a primary colour, blue can be used to make other colours, and is often associated with spirituality. Palermo made extensive use of blue, with spiritual connotations, in his work.© DACS 2008

Braunkreuz

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1952. Beuys lets the medium take centre stage in this work. Made of five pieces of paper, it is titled after the distinctive brown oil paint the artist used, whose name translates as 'Brown cross'. Compared to his more delicate watercolour drawings of the 1950s, Beuys's Braunkreuz works are bold and have a sculptural aspect. The medium was named by the artist himself, whose love of language and word play is demonstrated in the name's composition, where two words compound to make a new word. This echoes the composition of the cross shape, where two elements intersect to form a third.© DACS 2008

Capri Battery

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1985. The principle behind this object is the use of nature as an ecologically-sound fuel source. The instructions that accompany the work read ‘Change battery every thousand hours,’ yet the light bulb will never run out because it can never be switched on. It was made on the island of Capri in 1985, while Beuys was recovering from an illness. The bright colours suggest the Mediterranean climate. Although it is one of the most light-hearted objects Beuys made, it connects with the artist’s interests in energy, warmth and the environment. Beuys was deeply involved in the environmental movement in his native Germany and his work sought to challenge the boundaries between nature and culture.© DACS 2006

Celtic Object 2

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1980. Many of Beuys's 'actions' and sculptures used sound in some way. Sound is included in this relief through the use of a record. On top of the record is a hare's jawbone, the hare being an animal which recurs frequently in the artist's work. It is associated with the earth and with birth, but the inclusion of its bones here is also reminiscent of a relic of a saint. The title of this relief hints at the artist's interest in Celtic countries – he visited Scotland and Ireland several times during his life. It is stamped with the circular 'Hauptstrom' stamp Beuys used for works he felt summed up his beliefs particularly well.© DACS 2008

Clan

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. This drawing shows a group (or clan) of figures with the distinctive long ears of a hare. The hare is an animal which reappears frequently in Beuys's work, along with the stag. While the stag was connected to the upper (and male) part of the body, the hare was connected to the female / lower part of the body. It was also linked with the earth - Beuys compared the animal's shaping of the earth when burrowing underground to the process of human thought. Beuys's famous 1961 'action' 'How to explain pictures to a dead hare' featured the artist with his face covered in honey and gold leaf, explaining paintings to the dead animal.© DACS 2008

Coyote I

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1980. This is one of a pair of images showing Beuys's 1974 'action' 'I Like America and America Likes Me'. The 'action' began as soon as the artist landed in America. He was wrapped in felt at the airport, and driven in an ambulance to René Block's Manhattan gallery. He spent three days in the gallery space with a coyote before being driven straight back to the airport and flown home. The coyote is sacred to Native Americans, and represented an aspect of the country's past that Beuys liked. Each day of the 'action', he made two piles of the current 'Wall Street Journal'. These would be duly torn or urinated on by the coyote – his statement on contemporary America.© DACS 2008

Coyote II

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1980. This is one of a pair of images showing Beuys's 1974 'action' 'I Like America and America Likes Me'. The 'action' began as soon as the artist landed in America. He was wrapped in felt at the airport, and driven in an ambulance to René Block's Manhattan gallery. He spent three days in the gallery space with a coyote before being driven straight back to the airport and flown home. The coyote is sacred to Native Americans, and represented an aspect of the country's past that Beuys liked. This image shows items the artist used in the 'action'. The felt blanket and torch represent survival, he used the triangle to make music and lent on the shepherd's crook.© DACS 2008

Crystal Measurement

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1954. This work is particularly striking for its bold use of colour. Beuys often worked with natural or neutral-coloured materials and tended to use colour sparingly and deliberately. Early in his life, Beuys's parents had hoped that he would pursue a career in the natural sciences and although he chose art instead, science remained a lifelong interest. In 1949 he made a wooden model of a crystal, fascinated by its 'mathematical and platonic orders'. He continued to use the 'crystalline principle' as a symbol of reason, which, if not tempered by the warmth of intuition and emotion, would remain cold and lifeless.© DACS 2008

Damp Value

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964 - 1974. Although this is a sculptural work, it has a graphic element, with the page of notes and sketches in the frame. The piece has an unfinished look about it, with the page stuck in one corner of the frame, but as the frame has been hand painted and glazed it shows that the work is finished. This gives the notes a more official appearance and echoes the importance of Beuys's drawings to his work as a whole. He built up an enormous number of sketches and notes, often scribbled on scraps of paper, which he used as 'reservoirs' of ideas for his art.© DACS 2008

Demonstration: Hand

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1961. Beuys often included the human figure in his drawings of the 1950s and early 1960s. However, this painting focuses solely on the hand, the most important tool of the artist. The title is ambiguous as it appears to present the hand as a symbol of defiance but it could also refer to the most basic way for humans to make their mark - the handprint. The hand on the left may be based around the dimensions of the artist's own, but the hand to the right has a more animalistic feel, with the long fingers like claws.© DACS 2008

der Atem

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1966. Organic curves dominate this work. In the lower part, Beuys has used liquid fat to create shapes which have been echoed in the curved lines of the pencil drawing above. The materials Beuys used were always selected for their particular significance to the artist. Fat represented fuel and nurturing, but also was associated with producing warm, chaotic energy. To complement this, copper, as an excellent conductor of electricity and heat, can transmit this energy. The title of this work translates as 'Breath'.© DACS 2008

Deutsche Studentenpartei

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1967. Beuys formed the Deutsche Studentenpartei (German Student Party) on June 22 1967, in reaction to the shooting of the student Benno Ohnesorg during a demonstration against the visit of the Shah of Persia. It was the artist's first move into politics, but set a precedent for his politically-involved art. In December 1967, Beuys renamed the party 'Fluxus Zone West' to indicate the need for structural change at universities across Europe. This draft manifesto for the party has been stamped with the artist's distinctive circular stamp featuring a cross. He added the stamp to works which he felt embodied his beliefs.© DACS 2008

Die Electrizitat [Electricity]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. The lower section of this three-part work appears to be a schematic drawing of a turbine. It may be the item which is intended to be fitted inside the box at the centre of the work, to power the propeller on the right. Beuys used the principle of electricity and machines in some of his sculpture, so this work may anticipate a later sculpture. Electricity was, for Beuys, part of the much larger issue of energy and, in particular, of ways in which the key issue of human energy (creativity) could be harnessed.© DACS 2008

Dove, Food, Rainbow

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1949. This painting was made while Beuys was a student at the Staatliche Kunstakademie (State Academy of Art) in Düsseldorf, where he studied from 1947 to 1951. In this period immediately after the Second World War, in which Beuys had participated as a fighter pilot, nature was a central source of inspiration. Much of the artist's work included plant and animal forms. Here, he has emphasised the simple outlines of the three elements of the picture, which are arranged harmoniously to form a circle. Beuys had shown a talent for painting in watercolour from a young age, with some of his paintings displayed in his school.© DACS 2008

Drawing for Domenica delle Palme vitrine

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1981-1985. This drawing relates to a sculpture which is also in the ARTIST ROOMS Collection. It shows the shape of the glass-topped vitrine, which contains palm leaves and blossom lying on a bed of powdered sulphur. Although the sculpture is dated 1981, this drawing is marked '81-85', suggesting it was made after the sculpture rather than being drawn to plan it. The title of the work hints at Beuys's love of Italy, and includes the name of a Christian feast. The year 1985 saw his work included in the exhibition 'Cross + Symbol, Religious Foundations in the work of Joseph Beuys', as well as being the last time an 'environment' was created by Beuys, for an exhibition in Naples.© DACS 2008

Dumme Kiste [Dumb Box]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1982. The simplicity of this box is reminiscent of the work of Minimalist artists, like Donald Judd or Carl Andre. However, Beuys felt that Minimalist art was too far away from the disorder of real life. Yet, in the same way that Judd and Andre made industrial materials look beautiful, Beuys's work was also directed by his love of materials and desire to explore their properties. Here, the neatly cut felt acts as a soft, organic buffer between the sheets of copper. It may be the material's insulating properties which provide the sculpture with its name.© DACS 2008

Dwarf (Self-Portrait)

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. Early in his life Beuys had been deeply influenced by the work of Richard Wagner, although he distanced himself from his antisemiticism and ultra-nationalism. The dwarf, Alberich, who steals the gold from the Rhine Maidens, fashions a ring from it but loses it to the Gods, appears in several of Beuys's works, including a play written in 1963. In this drawing the distinctive hat confirms the figure's identity, in what is an unpretentious and humorous self-portrait. In one hand the man holds a twig or root, referring to his interest in nature. The action of digging suggests the artist's scientific, enquiring mind and his desire to explore the world around him. Like the figure shown here, Beuys loved to use humble and natural materials and was not afraid to work hard or get his hands dirty.© DACS 2008

Electric Sphinx

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1977. Traditionally, a sphinx is a recumbent lion with a human head. Beuys's version is a strange combination of animal and human, yet despite the prominent ears, sharp teeth and trace of a muzzle, it still retains a human look. The lines which surround the figure are similar to magnetic field lines, and this magnetism would 'electrify' the sphinx. Although Beuys's work of the 1960s and 1970s is dominated by 'actions' and installations, drawing remained an important way for the artist to capture and develop his ideas. He regarded drawing as being at the basis of all his art.© DACS 2008

Entwurf für ein Filzenvironment [Model for a Felt Environment]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. The neat rolls of grey felt on painted wood inside this vitrine are intended as a model for an 'environment'. Felt insulates and absorbs, representing protection but also a sense of constriction, like being suffocated. The same type of felt rolls are seen in the 'environment' 'Plight' (1958/1985), now in the Pompidou Centre, in which the walls and ceiling are covered with felt to create a stifling atmosphere. Beuys used felt in an infamous 'action' performed the same year this model was made. 'The Chief' saw the artist being wrapped in a felt blanket, fighting claustrophobia to lie practically still, as if in a coffin, for a nine-hour period.© DACS 2008

Evervess II I

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1968. These two glass bottles containing soda water are housed in a wooden box with text printed in German on the lid. The translation of the instructions reads: ‘Sender begins with the information, when “II” is drunk and the cap is thrown as far away as possible.’ Beuys explained that although he did not expect many people would follow the instructions, ‘I believe the object is only right if it’s done: before that it hasn’t been in an Action.’ The label of one bottle has been substituted with felt, an important material for Beuys which is used in many of his works. Here, the warmth of the felt contrasts with the cold, snow-capped mountain scene printed on the label. Beuys made hundreds of multiple objects, often including everyday and found objects - this piece is from an edition of forty.© DACS 2006

Felt Action for an Actress

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. In the dark grey oil paint of this work a small face can be seen, with the legs a short distance away shown extended towards the right edge of the page. Beuys has returned to the persona of the actress here, the role in which women are often depicted in his drawings. The woman is engulfed in oil paint, which represents the grey felt the artist used in his sculptures and 'actions'. Although it is a material which can insulate and absorb, felt also has a feminine aspect through its ability to mould to shapes and to provide protection.© DACS 2008

Felt Sculptures

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. The triangular shapes in this drawing recall the wedges of fat and felt the artist was using in his sculptures during the same period. The drawing may be a sketch for a particular sculpture or a way of experimenting with ideas for the composition of a piece. The upright triangular elements are balanced by the curved section at the top of the page. Two of the triangles have a line between them – this may represent a metal rod as Beuys used metal (particularly copper) in his sculptures because its conductivity counteracted the insulating powers of felt or fat.© DACS 2008

Felt Suit

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1970. The suit was made to the measurements of one of Beuys's own suits, except that the sleeves and the legs were lengthened. Felt is one of the materials the artist frequently used. The original suit was worn by Beuys for the 'Action of the Dead / Isolation Unit' on 24 November 1970 in Düsseldorf. Beuys stated that the suit represented a way of protecting an individual from the world. It also acts as a symbol of the isolation of human beings. There are connotations of the suits worn by prisoners, in particular those in Nazi concentration camps.© DACS 2004

Felt Suit

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1970. Beuys began producing works in multiples in the 1960s, partly as a way to combat the elitism of the art world. This is probably his most famous multiple. It has its origins in the performance 'Action the Dead Mouse / Isolation Unit' of 1970, where Beuys wore a felt suit with lengthened arms and legs, like the one seen here. He described the suit as an extension of the sculptures he made with felt, where the material's insulating properties were integral to the meaning of the work. Beuys intended this concept of warmth to extend beyond the material to encompass what he described as 'spiritual warmth or the beginning of an evolution'.© DACS 2008

Fettecke (Prozess) [Fat Corner (Process)]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1968. Looking inside the two boxes in this vitrine, we can see that in one, the fat has been neatly shaped into the corner to make a wedge. In the other, the shape of the fat has a disturbing biological look to it, like inner organs which have been unceremoniously dumped in a heap. Beuys used triangles of fat in both his sculptures and 'actions'. From around 1963, he would use wedges of fat or felt to mark the boundaries of a space when performing an 'action'.© DACS 2008

Fettstuhl [Fat Chair]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964 - 1985. Fat was a material Beuys loved – when solid it could be shaped and moulded, and when liquid it could flow and soak into other materials. In a similar version of this work, which uses the chair without the addition of vitrine and thermometer, the fat is neatly shaped into a triangular wedge. Here, it is roughly smeared on to the seat, contrasting with the neat lines of the white chair. The simplicity of the chair recalls Van Gogh's famous image of his own chair, painted in 1888. With his keen interest in language, Beuys would have enjoyed the double meaning of the word 'stuhl' as chair and excrement (stool).© DACS 2008

Filter

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1952. A filter suggests the process of refinement and purification. This is connected to a change in material of the kind Beuys explored throughout his work. This drawing was made in the late 1950s when Beuys was living on the farm of the van der Grinten brothers near his home town of Cleves in West Germany. During this time he made hundreds of drawings which he referred to as 'reservoirs' of ideas. Many of the themes from his later work can be found in these pieces. Beuys used gauze filters alongside fat in his sculptures and 'actions' of the 1960s onwards.© DACS 2008

Filz Aktion [Felt Action]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1963. Beuys began to perform his 'actions' in public in 1963 in connection with the Fluxus group. This painting does not appear to relate to a particular 'action' but includes a piece of felt, one of the artist's 'signature' materials which he used in both sculptures and 'actions'. His 'action' of 1964, 'The Chief', involved the artist being wrapped in a blanket of felt. The figure shown here is depicted with sweeping brushstrokes and drips of Braunkreuz oil paint, suggesting that the intended 'action' involved movement.© DACS 2008

Filzwinkel [Felt Angle]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1985. Beuys often utilised the fabric felt in his work. For him it represents protection and preserving energy by preventing it from being dissipated and lost. Beuys explained the character of his felt pieces, such as ‘Felt Angle’, as follows: “These felt objects… share common meanings and intentions, both physical and symbolic: felt as an insulator, as a protective covering against other influences, or conversely as a material that permits infiltration from outside influences. Then there is the warmth character, the greyness which serves to emphasise the colours that exist in the world by a psychological after-image effect, and the silence as every sound is absorbed and muffled.”© DACS 2009

Fluxus-Namensliste

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1963. Fluxus was an international group of artists and musicians. Taken from the Latin word 'to flow', the group's name reflected the belief that there should be no boundaries between art movements, or art and everyday life, letting creativity be unrestricted. Beuys was connected with the group for a time in the early 1960s, when Fluxus activities were at their height. The lower part of this work is a list of names of Fluxus collaborators, most of whom had musical links. It includes the German music critic Heinz-Klaus Metzger, German composer Dieter Schnebel, Canadian composer Pierre Mercure, American composer Terry Jennings, Dutch composer Konrad Boehmer and Japanese composer Yuji Takahashi.© DACS 2008

For Brown Environment

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. Beuys's environments developed from the artist's performed 'actions' and his glass cases (vitrines) containing objects. They were large-scale installations which allowed the artist to extend the boundaries of three-dimensional objects by 'staging' space, like a theatre set. Environments allowed Beuys to 'freeze' a moment from an 'action', and like the 'actions' and vitrines, a central concept of the environments was Beuys's' use of everyday materials. In distinctive matt brown Braunkreuz oil paint, this work sets the tone for a monochromatic environment in the artist's signature colour.© DACS 2008

For Brown Environment: Giant Vessels

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. Beuys's environments developed from the artist's performed 'actions' and his glass cases (vitrines) containing objects. They were large-scale installations which allowed the artist to extend the boundaries of three-dimensional objects by 'staging' an environment, like a theatre set. Environments allowed Beuys to 'freeze' a moment from an 'action', and like the 'actions' and vitrines, a central concept of the environments was Beuys's use of everyday materials. In distinctive matt brown Braunkreuz oil paint, this work sets the tone for a monochromatic environment in the artist's signature colour. Dominated by a phallic shape, the painting may reflect an intention to use organic curves or rolls of felt in the environment.© DACS 2008

For Brown Environment: Giant Vessels

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. Beuys's environments developed from the artist's performed 'actions' and his glass cases (vitrines) containing objects. They were large-scale installations which allowed the artist to extend the boundaries of three-dimensional objects by 'staging' an environment, like a theatre set. Environments allowed Beuys to 'freeze' a moment from an 'action', and like the 'actions' and vitrines, a central concept of the environments was Beuys's use of everyday materials. In distinctive matt brown Braunkreuz oil paint, this work sets the tone for a monochromatic environment in the artist's signature colour. The cylindrical shapes with curved ends suggest that organic shapes or rolls of felt may be included in the environment.© DACS 2008

For Felt Sculpture

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. This distinctive image of a rectangle with an angled shape at the bottom is seen in several of Beuys's drawings. Rather than simply being just an abstract shape, the image is intended to create a sense of warmth, as the viewer imagines the chunky pieces of felt. Fat has also been used to make this drawing, the other element Beuys liked to work with. Like felt, fat conjures up a sensation of insulation and warmth. Both materials also refer to the body, as felt is made by compressing fibres or hair.© DACS 2008

For FOND II

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1968. 'Fond' is used by Beuys as a term for a battery. Although diverse in realisation, his FOND series of works all present a means for storage and/or transmission of energy from a power source. They also epitomise the artist's combination of art with science. FOND I (1957), was a jar which had been filled with pears by the artist's mother to preserve them. FOND II (to which this drawing refers) was a sculpture of 1968, which included two copper tables charged with 20,000 volts, plus batteries and chemical apparatus. In FOND III (also 1968) the artist combined felt sheets with copper plates to represent the creation and storage of energy.© DACS 2008

For Siberian Symphony

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962. This drawing relates to an 'action' of February 1963 called 'Siberian Symphony, Section I'. As part of the performance, the artist tore the heart from a dead hare and hung the animal on a blackboard. Lumps of clay were connected with wires, as can be seen to the right of this image. The shape at the bottom of the drawing is a grand piano with its lid up, an item also used in the performance. Beuys had been introduced to performance art by the Fluxus group and this was one of his first public performances, or 'actions'. It was performed for the 'Festum Fluxorum Fluxus' at Düsseldorf Academy, where Beuys taught as professor of sculpture.© DACS 2008

Friday Object “1st Class Fried Fish Bones (Herring)”

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1970. This object was made as part of the action ‘Friday Object “First Class Fried Fish Bones”’, performed with Daniel Spoerri at the Eat Art Galerie in Düsseldorf on Friday 30 October, 1970. As the title suggests, the object makes reference to the crucifixion of Christ (whose symbol was the fish), to the act of penance and to the elevation of overlooked and usually discarded objects (fish bones). Food was an important medium for Beuys - he made works using butter, chocolate, bread and sausage, with the inevitable decaying process an integral part of the objects he created. The works also reflect the idea of art as providing intellectual nourishment. This is one of the artist’s multiple objects, from a relatively small edition of twenty-five.© DACS 2006

Gegenuber dem Fixsternhimmel [Facing the Stars]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1978. Beuys was interested in the history and culture of the Celtic countries, and made several visits to Scotland and Ireland. The paper bags used in this relief may have been picked up by the artist during his 1974 trip to Ireland, in connection with the exhibition of his group of drawings, 'The Secret Block for a Secret Person in Ireland'. Critics believe James Joyce to be the 'Secret Person' to whom the work is addressed, as Beuys was a lifelong fan of the Irish writer. The iron frame used for this work may have been chosen by the artist due to the metal's strong connection with the earth as well as the bloodstream.© DACS 2008

Geysir

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1953. This work is in two parts, with the part on the right being an impression of the part on the left. It was likely made by placing two pieces of paper on top of each other so that the lower piece absorbed some of the watercolour which was painted on the top piece of paper, making a partial copy. With his interest in the natural sciences, Beuys would undoubtedly have been aware of the geyser (an erupting hot spring) as a geological phenomenon. This work may refer to the 'Great Geysir' in Iceland, from which the word 'geyser' originates.© DACS 2008

Granite in Arid Chalk

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. Two opposing elements are brought together in this painting, as Beuys combines hot and cold by depicting granite and chalk. Granite is an igneous rock, formed when molten rock cools and solidifies, and chalk is a sedimentary rock, formed by layers of mineral and organic material. Although the bright red granite looks like fire, it is in fact the cooler of the two elements when touched. Likewise, while the chalk is drier and 'arid', it is much warmer to the touch. Beuys has chosen two vastly different elements which also operate in reverse and at odds with their appearance.© DACS 2008

Green Violin

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1974. This is an action-object - a replica of a violin played by the Fluxus artist Henning Christiansen during a concert called ‘…Or should we change it’. The concert was staged by Beuys and Christiansen at the Städtisches Museum, Mönchengladbach on 27 March 1969. Many of Beuys’ early ‘actions’ were of a concert nature, and he participated with Fluxus events during the 1960s. These events were originally organised by people interested in experimenting with sound, such as the avant-garde composer John Cage. Beuys explores sound and silence throughout his work. This is seen in objects like ‘Noiseless Blackboard Eraser’ (1974), in his use of recorded sound and also of pianos, which are frequently muffled by his trademark rolls of felt.© DACS 2006

Hare's Blood

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1974-1977. By the time of Beuys's first trip to America, on the 1974 lecture tour 'Energy Plan for the Western Man', the artist was well known for his public talks. During his lectures, Beuys would make notes on a blackboard, many of which became works of art in their own right. In his Minneapolis lecture, he drew on lithographic printing plates instead of a blackboard, which were later used to make the series of six prints, 'Minneapolis Fragments' (1977). This is one of those plates. Although it has been cancelled by incising it with an 'X' so no further prints can be made, Beuys has transformed it into a new work by adding hare's blood, an ink stamp and his signature. Beuys associated hare's blood with female creativity.© DACS 2008

Hexen Feuer Speiend [Witches Spitting Fire]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. Witches are often seen in German art of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The interest in witches at that time was linked to the larger issue of society's attempt to understand women's bodies and their fertility, a subject which still concerns the artist in this 1959 drawing. Although these images from traditional German art would have been known to Beuys, his presentation of women as witches also refers to his own particular fascination with ancient and mysterious characters. Shown against a background suggestive of flames, Beuys's depiction of these two figures as fearsome and powerful shows his respect for a world where primitive, spiritual powers take precedent.© DACS 2008

Hirschdenkmal [Monument to the Stag]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. Although the imagery of this drawing is difficult to decipher, the stag is an animal which held a particular mystical power for Beuys. The artist would refer to himself as the 'stag leader'. With his work steeped in Germanic tradition and legend, Beuys's use of the stag references the animal as the traditional emblem of the Northern forest, as well as its role as a spirit guide in Celtic mythology and the crucified Christ in Christianity. The stag is a symbol of masculine power, but also has a feminine aspect in the annual shedding of its antlers, symbolising fertility.© DACS 2008

Hirschdenkmal [Monument to the Stag]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958-1985. This collection of metal objects has the appearance of mysterious pieces of scientific apparatus, much like the items which appear in the artist's drawings of the 1950s and 1960s. The metals used here are iron and copper. Beuys saw iron as a masculine metal, connected with the planet Mars, while copper was associated with Venus and femininity. Part of the work was shown in the 'Zeitgeist' exhibition in Berlin in 1982, where Beuys had referred to it as a 'workshop' in which ideas for setting the world to rights could be fashioned.© DACS 2008

Honey is Flowing in all Directions

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1976. This work relates to the artist's installation 'Honeypump at the Workplace', which was shown at the contemporary art exhibition Documenta VI in Kassel in 1977. The work was installed around the staircase of the Fridericianum Museum, and consisted of a series of tubes running into rooms adjacent to the staircase, through which two tons of liquid honey was pumped by a motor. For Beuys, the production of honey and the organisational system of bees in the hive were on a par with human social systems. This drawing also features the ink stamp of the Free International University, co-founded by the artist in 1972 to promote the potential for creativity within each individual.© DACS 2008

Houses of the Shaman

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. Shamanism is a recurring theme for Beuys. Although the shaman himself does not feature here, his presence is invoked by the depiction of his houses. It is fitting that Braunkreuz oil paint has been used to paint the houses, as one of the reasons Beuys began to use this specific type of paint was its similarity to the paint used for painting houses in rural areas of Germany. The matt, almost dusty texture of the paint reminds the viewer of the earth and our origins. The shaman, too, is a representative of man's primitive past and natural, uncultured personality.© DACS 2008

Ice Age

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1951. In this work, Beuys has drawn several repeated shapes which appear to represent the outline of a woolly mammoth. Although animals of all kinds appear in Beuys's drawings, the mammoth represents not only nature but also pre-history. He was fascinated by anything which served as a reminder of the earth's great age, from rock formations to fossil fuels. In connection with his artistic exploration of sources of energy and heat, Beuys's scientific mind may also have been interested in the warm coat of the animal and its process of secreting a greasy fat into its hair in order to stay warm.© DACS 2008

INTELLIGENTIA

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. This drawing is a study of several different creatures. On the left are the long legs of a bird, paired with strange rectangular wings which have a mechanistic look. The shape at the top is a schematic drawing of a bird's body with a horizontal line to represent outstretched wings. Extending below the body is a long shape which looks like the segmented body of a bee. To the bottom right is a pair of swans. Beuys's interest in the swan can be traced back to his childhood, when he was told medieval legends involving swans and could see the sculpture of a golden swan on the roof of a castle from his bedroom window.© DACS 2008

Iphigenia / Titus Andronicus

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1985. This photograph shows the action ‘Iphigenia / Titus Andronicus’ that Beuys performed at ‘experimenta 3’ in Frankfurt-am-Main on 29 and 30 May 1969. During the action, Beuys recited the text of Goethe’s play ‘Iphigenia,’ while a loudspeaker on stage relayed the pre-recorded sound of two actors reading ‘Iphigenia’ and Shakespeare’s play ‘Titus Andronicus.’ The upper part of the image shows a white horse, which stood behind the artist on the stage. It stood on a sheet of metal attached to microphones, and every time the horse scraped or stamped its hooves the sound was magnified. The artist walked around the stage, creating noises and striking a pair of cymbals, as can be seen in the bottom part of the photograph. The action was intended to unite the worlds of nature and culture.© DACS 2006

Jungfrau (Holz) Wooden Virgin

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1952. This drawing relates to a sculpture of 1961 called 'Virgin'. Made of teak wood carved in simple geometric shapes, the sculpture is three metres long and lies on the ground with legs splayed, as shown in this work. Beuys's depictions of women often connected them to the natural world and seasonal cycles. The use of dark brown oil paint for the drawing suggests a connection with the earth, and the figure blends easily into its earthy surroundings. The circular stamp to the left of the drawing is likely a later addition.© DACS 2008

Kampf

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1980. Beuys's political involvement had a great influence on his art from the 1960s onwards. The title of this work translates as 'struggle' or 'fight' and is based around an image painted in Braunkreuz oil paint, which looks like two opposing masses in combat. Around this, the artist has written words in capital letters including 'state' 'denationalisation', 'job', with other notes made on the pieces of paper which are attached to the central section, like the tentacles of a jellyfish. Beuys was one of the founding members of the Green Party in 1980, and stood as the official candidate for the party in Düsseldorf in the same year.© DACS 2008

Kreuz

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1952. Crosses often appear in Beuys's work, typically daubed in brown paint or printed as part of a distinctive circular stamp. At one time, it was part of the artist's strategy to create new works by adding small brown crosses to pre-existing images. In this collage, the cross is the central focus rather than an addition. Its shape recalls the logo of the international relief agency The Red Cross, which links with the artist's interest in medicine and healing. More traditionally, it also recalls Christian iconography.© DACS 2008

La Piantagione

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1984. Nature played an important role in Beuys's art. While his early drawings and paintings depicted nature or used natural elements and pigments, his later work combined his interests in politics and nature. The title of this drawing translates as 'The Plantation' in Italian. It relates to a project the artist began in 1984, on his sixty-third birthday, to plant four hundred trees and bushes in Bolognano. He was made an honorary citizen of the town in the same year. Beuys particularly loved Italy, and his work was exhibited there during his lifetime more than in any other country.© DACS 2008

La Rivoluzione Siamo Noi

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1972. By the 1970s, Beuys was deeply involved with politics. In 1972, he founded the Committee for a Free University and was working with the Organisation for Direct Democracy through Referendum, which had been formed the previous year. The title of this print translates as 'We are the Revolution'. Beuys presents a strong image of himself striding towards the viewer in a confrontational way, as if ready for action himself and encouraging us to join him. This work is even more striking when seen in real life, as it is nearly two metres tall so the artist appears life-size and as if poised to step out of the image.© DACS 2008

La rivoluzione siamo Noi [The Revolution is Us]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1972. This famous image of Beuys was originally used on a poster for a Beuys exhibition held in Naples in 1971 – hence the Italian title of the work. In the late 1960s and early 1970s revolution was in the air, particularly among students. There were demands to change society and the means of production. Beuys does not deny that society needs to change, but stresses first and foremost that people must change before true revolution can take place. In this work Beuys sets himself up as a Christ-like figure striding confidently into the future, encouraging us to do the same.© DACS 2010

Langhaus (Vitrine)

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1953 / 1962. 'Langhaus' can be variously translated as 'nave' such as one finds in a church, or 'longhouse', such as the dwelling house for one or several families found in early north European regions or, still today, in tribal communities in the Amazon region or the South Seas. The block of wood has a small piece of felt attached to the top, suggesting, according to Beuys's usual iconography, the idea of protection, a connotation strengthened by the length of felt also lying in the vitrine. The walking stick lying alongside the felt is a traditional Beuysian symbol for leadership and protection, much as a shepherd looks after his flock.© DACS 2008

Madchen drucht elastische Plastik ein [Girl Pushing Against Elastic Sculpture]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1961. The 'elastic sculpture' could refer to a felt sculpture which takes on the curves of the female figure. However, the woman who pushes against the large mass seems to almost be absorbed into it and overwhelmed by it, as it edges her out of the picture. The collaged element of this work is a diary page, which has been covered with the same Braunkreuz oil paint used for the painting. The inclusion of the page brings an aspect of the everyday to the image.© DACS 2008

mit Filzplastik

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1981. This collage is typical of many of Beuys's works on paper. Pieced together from diverse scraps of paper, are small sketches, notes and calculations. The drawings and symbols were part of the personal language the artist used in his drawings. At the top of the collage is a plan or diagram, which may relate to the symbols of the elements aluminium and silicon (Al and Si) which appear on several pieces of paper. The sum of money 90,000 DM (Deutschmarks) also appears. Although his work from the 1960s onwards was primarily associated with sculpture and ‘actions’, drawing remained an important part of Beuys's working process, enabling him to capture his thoughts and feelings quickly and easily.© DACS 2008

Motor 4

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964-1980. This collage returns to the theme of energy which Beuys explored many times. He has used a variety of everyday materials for this work, including acid and aluminium foil. Although these are traditionally unusual to include in an artwork, they are among many humble materials the artist favoured. In particular, the acid causes and represents decay, and Beuys would have used it to make this chemical process become part of the work. The three drawings on the pieces of paper which have been attached to the cardboard are presumably of components which are part of the 'motor' of the work's title.© DACS 2008

Naturgeschichte [Natural History]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964-1982. The title given to this object relates it to Max Ernst's 'Histoire Naturelle' (Natural History) portfolio, published in 1926. Ernst used the technique of frottage to create fantastical drawings based on rubbings taken from woodgrain. Beuys has gone directly to the source of Ernst's images by presenting a piece of wood which is beautifully textured and neatly cut into a square. This work shows that Ernst's interest in the potential of the natural world was shared by Beuys. The two German artists also share a 'rebirth' myth, as Ernst claimed to have 'died' at the start of the First World War and been resuscitated in 1918.© DACS 2008

Night in the Rafters

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1974. The horizontal lines of this painting give the impression of looking up at rafters in the roof of a building. The medium of Braunkreuz paint was a favourite of Beuys, and one the artist had used since the 1950s. He used it not so much for its colour as for the sculptural quality it brought to his works on paper. The matt, almost dusty effect it created is also reminiscent of the earth. Animals often appear in Beuys's drawings and paintings, and three rat-like animals can be seen here, two of which appear to be fighting.© DACS 2008

Object for MANRESEA

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1966. In 1966, Beuys and his friend Per Kirkeby made an 'imaginary' journey with their wives to the village of Manresa in the Pyrenees. Kirkeby subsequently wrote about the journey and Beuys performed the 'action' 'Manresa' later that year. The village is significant for its connection with Ignatius Loyola who spent several months there in meditation, prior to writing his volume of prayers 'Spiritual Exercises'. The book is based around the idea that 'Intuition is a higher form of reason' – a belief the artist shared. The village is a place of pilgrimage for Catholics and is generally associated with spiritual enlightenment. Beuys used this circular object in his 'Manresa' 'action'.© DACS 2008

Ohne Titel [Untitled]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1970. Wearing his unmistakeable felt trilby hat, with his fishing vest poking through a luxuriant fur-lined jacket, this large image (over two metres square) shows Beuys at his most iconic. The clothes he wears here were part of his artist's 'uniform', chosen for comfort and practicality (the multi-pocketed vest was particularly useful) but also as a way to create his image. Fittingly, he is depicted with one of his most distinctive sculptures. In the foreground is 'The Pack' (1969), a group of twenty-four sledges. Each one has its own survival kit including fat for sustenance, felt for warmth and a torch for navigation, making the artist's signature materials part of this image too.© DACS 2008

Partitur

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1967. The title of 'Partitur' indicates that this collage is a score, which sets it in a musical context. The idea of a work of art as a 'score' reflects the artist's concept of drawing as a source or 'reservoir' of ideas for future artistic projects. However, unlike most musical scores, which are designed to be read by anyone wishing to perform the piece, this work remains personal to the artist. Beuys's first 'action' was performed in 1963, in connection with the Fluxus group. Although the group included artists experimenting in all forms of artistic activity, it was their use of music which was particularly influential on Beuys.© DACS 2008

Partitur für Manresa [Score for Manresa]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1966. This drawing is a plan for the 'action' 'Manresa', performed in 1966. Manresa is a village in the Pyrenees which is associated with Ignatius Loyola, the author of the book 'Spiritual Exercises'. In the 'action', Beuys used the motif of a divided cross to refer to the geographical and spiritual divide between East and West, and the need for unification and healing. Here, we can see the halved cross, as well as triangular shapes. In Christianity, this shape refers to the Holy Trinity but Beuys's use of the shape also refers to his belief in the triad of 'thinking, feeling, wanting' which he described as influencing his triangular, wedged 'Fat Corners'.© DACS 2008

Partitur fur Sibirische Symphonie

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1966. The title of this work translates as 'Score for Siberian Symphony'. This refers to the artist's first performance or 'action' in February 1963, called 'Siberian Symphony'. The central part of the performance was a piano composition by Beuys, as the word 'score' indicates. This was blended into a piece of music by the early twentieth-century, avant-garde composer Erik Satie. The music was supported by props, including lumps of clay connected by wire and a blackboard with a dead hare hung on it. The simple style of this collage is reminiscent of the artist's early list-style drawings, which use words for visual effect and structure.© DACS 2008

Passage der Zukunftplanetoiden [Hearts of the Revolutionaries: Passage of the Planets of the Future]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1955. The choice of red for this painting would seem like an obvious one, reflecting both the heart and the virtues of honour and courage of the revolutionary in the title of the piece. Red also represents socialism, a belief of Beuys which became central to his later work. However, the colour red is used sparingly and symbolically in the artist's work, and here it makes a bold statement on life, vitality and the future. The inclusion of the round shape to represent a planet brings an astronomical element into the work.© DACS 2008

Physico-Chem-Zeit-Konstellation 11:00 23:00

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962. Allusions to different branches of science are brought together in this two-part drawing, which refers to physics, chemistry and astronomy. In the top part, selected words have been covered with paint, as if to 'absorb' them into the medium. In the bottom part, the covering of words seems more artful, with longer sweeps of paint used, as if charting the movements of stars. The work includes a sense of passing time over a twelve-hour period, with the top part marked 23:00 hours and the bottom 11:00 hours. It may have been made to record a particular event.© DACS 2008

Play 17

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1963. Play 17 is one of several short plays Beuys wrote in the early 1960s. As seen here, most consist of a list of characters with a few lines of instruction. The first line shows that the play is set 'In a room with 4 fat corners acting together'. This is followed by a list of animals and insects and concludes with the stage directions; 'The animals vanish as soon as the Western man enters. Simultaneously projected on the room's north wall the 'Eastern man''. This reflects the artist's belief that Western culture had separated itself from nature, unlike Eastern culture. The play's importance to Beuys is shown by the fact it exists in several handwritten versions and four multiple editions. It was written as a scenario for an 'action'.© DACS 2008

Pyramidales Bild

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1979. This work is based around the shape of the triangle. The triangle or triad is used in Christianity, but also in theosophy and the writings of the philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who believed that the development of humanity could be tracked by the movement of state, economy and intellectual life. Beuys was greatly interested in Steiner's theories on society and he also used the shape as a symbol for his own theory of sculpture, to suggest unity and harmony but also movement. Newspapers are used as a basis for many of the artist's works, and here are artfully revealed and concealed.© DACS 2008

Red on Centre

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1984. Although Beuys did not create art in a deliberately abstract style, this work is reminiscent of German artist Josef Albers's series of works 'Homage to the Square', as well as of the colourful abstracts of Beuys's favourite pupil, Blinky Palermo. The use of the square here focuses attention on the simplicity of the shape and the colour, made all the more striking by the neutral cardboard background. Beuys viewed colour as a 'material', using it deliberately and sparingly. As red is a primary colour, it can be used as the basis for many more colours. It also has associations with life, vitality and blood.© DACS 2008

Roses

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1952. The overall theme of this work seems particularly female, from the title to the two representations of a female figure. On the right is an upright, curvy figure, while a female torso and legs can be seen diagonally across the image. Beuys's inclusion of colour in his work is both deliberate and meaningful, as he used colour as a 'substance' in the same way as he incorporated unusual materials into his paintings. As much of his work used neutral colours like greys and browns, colour becomes all the more obvious. Here, he has included pink dots at the feet of the female figure, presumably the 'Roses' of the title.© DACS 2008

Runrig

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962-1972. 'Runrig' was an 'action' performed by Beuys in 1973 which related to the rotation of crops. The dating of this work suggests it was first started a decade before the 'action' was carried out and finally finished the year before it. The squares of colour on this work are taken from a paint colour chart, and they contrast greatly with the matt brown of the Braunkreuz oil paint. The artist has made the readymade element distinctly his own by the addition of his signature type of paint.© DACS 2008

Scala Napoletana

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1985. Much of the work Beuys made in his last few years includes objects or themes which suggest death. This sculpture was originally inspired by a ladder the artist found while recovering from illness on the island of Capri in Autumn 1985, which he hung with two stones. When he visited Amalfi at Christmas in the same year, he purchased a ladder (‘Scala Libera’) from a landlord which he used to make this sculpture. Held in suspension, it appears as if the pair of lead weights are preventing this heavy wooden ladder from soaring into the air. This is one of the last sculptures Beuys made. He died in January 1986.© DACS 2008

Schmela

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1966. The title of the work refers to Alfred Schmela, the German artist and owner of Galerie Schmela in Düsseldorf. Schmela was a promoter of avant garde art and an early supporter of Beuys. Beuys first met Schmela in 1958, and was introduced to Yves Klein by the gallerist. He performed some of his 'actions' at Galerie Schmela, including the infamous 1965 performance 'How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare'. This painting in Braunkreuz oil looks to be of a figure at the edge of a cliff, perhaps suggesting Schmela's risky role as pioneer of new and cutting-edge art.© DACS 2008

Schmied II [Blacksmith II]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. In this pencil drawing, we see a statuesque male figure walking purposefully and holding a hammer, the tool of his trade. Beuys had a cousin who was a blacksmith and the artist showed an early interest in the trade, learning how to cast and forge iron when he was young. However, in later years, he would undoubtedly have been interested in the science behind the process and the changes that takes place in the metal to allow it to be shaped and formed. Blacksmiths appear in the legends of many cultures. Widely knowledgeable on legend and folklore, Beuys would have been aware of the Roman God Vulcan and the blacksmith Wayland Smith from Germanic legend.© DACS 2008

Schwangere und Schwan [Pregnant Woman with Swan]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. The tiny swan in this painting looks as if it is swimming serenely inside the woman, replacing the foetus inside her pregnant body. The drawing combines male and female elements, with the phallic nature of the swan's neck. Beuys had been fascinated with swans since childhood. A sculpture of a large golden swan sat on top of the tower of Schwanenburg castle (Swan Castle) in his home town of Cleves, and was visible from his bedroom window while he was growing up. With his interest in language, the artist would also have delighted in the similarity between the German words for pregnant woman (Schwangere) and swan (Schwan).© DACS 2008

Score for Action with Transmitter (felt) Receiver in the Mountains

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1973. Although many of Beuys's works on paper were used to capture early ideas for sculptural works, his 'scores' often relate specifically to his 'actions'. While not all were eventually realised in performance, the scores outline the essential components of the 'action'. Unlike musical scores which use universally understood forms of notation, Beuys's scores tend to be a combination of notes and sketches which could only be fully understood by the artist. In this drawing, we see jagged mountain tops as well as lines of Morse code, ready to be transmitted or received. The title also mentions felt, one of the artist's favourite materials.© DACS 2008

Sculptures

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1954. This is a two-part work on paper, whose title suggests it is either a depiction of sculptures or a plan for sculptures to be made. Beuys used his drawings as a way of setting out ideas before making sculptures, referring to them as a 'reservoir that I can get important impulses from'. The long shapes recall the solid, static symbols the artist used to represent masculinity. They are painted in iron chloride, a chemical the artist often combined with watercolour in his paintings, which has a distinctive orange-brown colour.© DACS 2008

Sekretariatstasche

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1976. Inside this envelope is a handwritten manuscript titled 'The Energie (sic) Plan for the Western Man'. This relates to a 1974 lecture tour of the same name that Beuys made in America. It was his first trip to the United States and he used it to lecture on the theme of social sculpture, addressing students and women's groups. The ten-day tour stopped at colleges in New York, Chicago and Minneapolis and during each lecture the artist would make notes on a blackboard, which was an essential tool for his talks. Beuys believed that Western culture was on the verge of an 'energy crisis', which each person must develop their own source of creativity to help combat.© DACS 2008

Show Your Wound

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1977. 'Show Your Wound' was an installation created by Beuys in 1974-75 in a bleak pedestrian underpass in Munich. Elements used there can be seen in these negatives; a pair of dissecting tables and the heads of two iron agricultural tools, mounted on wooden sticks. The wound was a recurring theme for the artist. On a personal level it referred to injuries he received in the Second World War, his breakdown in the 1950s and his heart attack in 1975. More generally, he used the idea to reference events in Germany's past and the divide between Eastern and Western cultures.© DACS 2008

Sled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1969. The materials used in the making of this work relate to Beuys's experience of being rescued by nomadic Tartars when his plane was shot down during the Second World War. Fat was rubbed into his body and he was wrapped in felt to keep him warm. The sled looks as if it has been prepared for an expedition or in response to an emergency, with a survival kit strapped to it. The flashlight represents the sense of orientation, the felt is protective, and the fat is for food.© DACS 2004

So kann die Parteiendiktatur uberwunden werden [In this way the Dictatorship of the Parties can be Overcome]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1971. Beuys once stated; “I have nothing to do with politics – I know only art”, a sentiment which seems odd considering his political involvement. However, he viewed politics as part of an overall strategy for social change through the power of the individual. The early 1970s were a busy time for the artist. One of his campaigns was against party voting, arguing that political parties exploited the hard-working majority to the benefit of the minority who controlled the economy. With this in mind, the Braunkreuz cross at the centre of these felt sheets takes on the appearance of a cross on a voting paper , suggesting that the only way to overthrow the system is through voting.© DACS 2008

Sonde im Blutkreislauf des Eiches

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. The area of blood-red paint at the centre of this collage is reminiscent of the heart, man's power source, anticipating the artist's later work with sources of energy. Although the red is tempera paint, Beuys did paint with hare's blood in some drawings. On the reverse of the paper, faintly seen from this side, is an architectural drawing of the Catholic Church in Lübeck, a northern German city. The elk or stag appears in many of Beuys's drawings and, according to myth, represented a spirit guide.© DACS 2008

Sostanza Plastica

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. The title of this work means 'Plastic Substance' in Italian. Although German by birth, Beuys's use of words from different languages (often English) in his work shows the artist's pan-european perspective, and his love of language. The familiar medium of Braunkreuz oil paint is central to this painting. Taken nearly to the edges of the page, the uneven edges and patchy areas of the paint recall the medium's origins as a cheap domestic paint used for houses in rural areas.© DACS 2008

Stark beleuchteter Hirschstuhl [Brightly-Lit Stag Chair]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1957-1971. Although Beuys began this collage in 1957, it was not finished until 1971. The chair is similar to the subject of the artist's 1972 sculpture 'Backrest for a fine-limbed person (Hare-type) of the 20th Century A.D'. This is a cast iron impression of a child's plaster corset, made as a multiple. However, the striding feet of the chair in this collage give it a human aspect, making it seem almost confident and self-possessed. The curved back of the chair is echoed in the lightbulb shape at the top of the image. The stag, in Beuys's bestiary, guided the soul in its journey to the afterlife.© DACS 2008

Sun and Pylon

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1946. At the heart of much of Beuys's artistic output lies an interest in sources of heat and energy. This is demonstrated in his sculptural work and installations through the use of fat and felt as materials. In this painting, the artist depicts the sun and a pylon, two sources of both heat and power. Beuys often incorporated unusual materials alongside watercolour in his paintings. Here he has used iron chloride, a chemical which also represents warmth as it gives off heat during the chemical process of hydrolysis, a reaction caused by water.© DACS 2008

Tails

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962. Over a metre and a half in length, this drawing depicts a strange figure who is part animal, part human. The circular object on which the figure's beak rests is a piece of felt – the material with which Beuys is renowned for using extensively in his sculpture and actions. Felt is part of the artist's iconic story in which his life was saved after a plane crash when he was wrapped in layers of felt and fat. Although felt represents warmth and protection, its composition of compressed fibres or hair also refers to the human body.© DACS 2008

The Shaman's Two Bags

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1977. The presence of the shaman is felt in this drawing, not through the man himself being shown but by his belongings being featured. Beuys felt a deep connection with the figure of the shaman, who appears in tribal cultures across the world. The shape of the bag on the left looks as if a pair of antlers is growing from the top, recalling the artist's fascination with the stag. The hook shape at the side looks like the top of the staff used by a shepherd or shaman. On the bag on the right, a shape like a tuning fork or divining stick emerges from the side of the bag.© DACS 2008

The Table

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1952. For Joseph Beuys, drawings were a way to work out ideas in their early stages. He described them as 'reservoirs' from which he could take source material and return to many times. The look of the drawing was not of central important to Beuys, as it was primarily designed to capture and represent his ideas. In this drawing, a page of calculation forms the backdrop for a male figure, drawn in iron chloride, who adds a human presence. The words on the ink stamp can be translated literally as 'Main Stream' or 'Power line', but the stamp is a later addition to the work.© DACS 2008

The Woman with the Dog

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1975. Some of Beuys's drawings can be difficult to decipher. Despite the title, neither a human figure nor an animal is immediately apparent here, although the dark shapes in the top drawing are reminiscent of a dog's head. The two rows of drawings beneath appear to show a landscape, and their arrangement resembles a comic strip, as if a story is being told through the sequence. Beuys's drawings often featured the animals he loved. He felt that animals retained a natural instinct and closeness to nature that humans have lost.© DACS 2008

Therapeuticum

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. The list-style structure seen in this work appears in several Beuys drawings of the 1960s. It shows Beuys using words to give structure to a drawing, and prefigures language and sound becoming an important part of the artist's later 'actions'. The list here is made up of the names of healing plants, with some names covered with oil paint and fat. These substances are intended to 'absorb' or 'insulate' the words, performing the same role as the pieces of felt and slabs of fat in Beuys's sculptures.© DACS 2008

Three Pots for the Poorhouse - Action Object

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1974. This work is the record or embodiment of an 'Action' performed by Joseph Beuys in the dilapidated, former Edinburgh poorhouse on 10 June 1974. Beuys used three new cooking pots, painted black, to represent the human attribute of thinking, feeling and will. He walked slowly around the edges of one of the rooms offering up the pots to each of the walls. The pots were then put on the floor and tied to a pair of blackboards on which Beuys drew diagrams and works relating to the 'Action'.© DACS 2004

Tisch mit Aggregat [Table with Accumulator]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958-1985. Sitting on this simple wooden table is an accumulator, a device for storing energy. The wires which attach it to two lumps of clay show that it is powered by the earth. Energy was one of the central themes in Beuys's work, often represented by the motif of the battery. Pieces of scientific apparatus appear in Beuys's work from the 1950s onwards and some of his sculptures also use working machinery. Here, science, nature and art are shown working together to create and store energy.© DACS 2008

Trance in the House of the Shaman

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1961. Beuys adopted a shamanistic guise in many of his 'actions' from the 1960s onwards, a role anticipated in his earlier drawings. In this depiction of a shamanic ritual, the image of a standing male figure has been overlaid with that of a crouching female figure. Both figures are shown without their heads; however, the shape behind the man appears to be a head with an enlarged eye. This may represent the 'third eye' which allows perception on a higher, spiritual level. In shamanism, the head is regarded as sacred, being the means of communication.© DACS 2008

Tunnel (Cathode Rays) Felt-Room Action

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. As elsewhere in Beuys's drawings, here we see a sheet of notes in pencil and ink which have been obscured by thick sweeps of dark grey oil paint. This is frustrating for the viewer as we can see only the title and a few glimpses of what is written on the page, yet the covering of paint was a deliberate act by Beuys. It may have been his intention for the paint to 'absorb' the sentiments on the page. The work does not appear to relate to an 'action' which the artist performed, but may be a plan for an intended 'action'.© DACS 2008

unter Spannung

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. The title of this painting translates as 'Under Tension' or 'electrically live'. It depicts a machine or piece of scientific apparatus, with the conical and cylindrical shapes holding a long strip of metal under tension in a curved shape. Balanced on top of this, there looks to be another piece of metal with a lump of material at each end. Made in 1964, the drawing may relate to an 'action' performed by Beuys or might be a sketch for an unrealised 'action'. The artist included working machinery in his sculptures and 'actions'.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1957. This drawing is an example of Beuys's use of unusual materials for his drawings, being made with stone dust and white clay. It was made while Beuys was living on the farm owned by the van der Grinten brothers, following a nervous breakdown brought on by the delayed after-effects of the war. His materials were most likely taken from the farm and surrounding area. Beuys lived with Hans and Franz Joseph van der Grinten from 1957 to 1960, and they became the first collectors of his work. The subject of the drawing is unclear, but may be a coal scuttle or similar household item.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. Beuys was an accomplished watercolourist who had painted since childhood. Made in watercolour and tempera, the torn piece of paper used for this work suggests it was made on any material which came to hand, as impulse struck the artist. Although the subject of this work is unclear, it would have been made to capture a particular idea, which may have reappeared in the artist's later work. For Beuys, the look of the drawing was not important and does not indicate the significance of the work to the artist.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. This work was made in oil paint on architectural paper. The background of horizontal and vertical lines printed on the paper contrasts sharply with the artist's brushstrokes. The coldness of the printed lines jars against the richness and warmth of the oil paint. Just as with his later sculptural works, Beuys's drawings of the late 1950s were an exploration of form and material. As an artist, he was always interested in bringing together opposing elements in his work and exploring the properties of the materials he used.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. The brown used in this drawing is the 'Braunkreuz' (literally translated as 'Brown cross') oil paint Beuys used from the 1950s onwards. The effect of the paint reminded the artist of the walls and floors of houses in his native West Germany, and recalls earth and nature. Here, the matt paint looks as if it has been painted over something to hide it, with the deliberate triangular shape at the top of the page, and the way the paint clings closely to the edges of the strange shape or figure below.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. A pencil drawing is visible beneath the thick, dark oil paint of this work. Although it looks as if the artist might have been dissatisfied with the drawing and decided to paint over it, it was most likely a deliberate action to include both the pencil and paint elements. The grey oil paint seems like an unusual choice for Beuys, who frequently used the distinctive brown Braunkreuz paint when he wished to use a neutral colour. However, as with the composition of the work, the colour choice would have been intentional.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959-1960. Mounted between two sheets of plexiglass and displayed in a zinc frame, this drawing has been transformed into a three-dimensional object. The conical shapes are reminiscent of stylised cooling towers from a power station, complete with smoke at the top. This reflects the artist's interest in sources of heat and power. The two crosses represent positive energy. Beuys's choice of zinc for the frame would have been a deliberate one, as he chose his materials for the qualities they represented. Zinc is a metallic element and an essential mineral for life, but equally is poisonous in high concentrations.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1961. This pencil drawing has a mysterious and frustrating aspect. The elongated shapes look like words which have been deliberately and artfully scribbled over. Floating like clouds at the top of the page, they are out of our reach as we cannot read what they say, but the viewer's attention is therefore transferred to the shapes on the page and the quality of the medium. In some of Beuys's drawings which include text, the artist covered selected words with materials like Braunkreuz oil paint to let the medium 'absorb' them.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962. Beuys's famous Braunkreuz oil paint is used for this drawing. Depicting two neat identical shapes, the top shape has an extra fringe of brushstrokes around it to blur the edges. These brushstrokes recall smears of earth or dirt, recalling the fact that Braunkreuz was favoured by Beuys because it reminded the artist of the brown oil paint used to paint the walls and floors of rural houses. With its distinctive matt, dry texture, it is closely connected with nature and the earth – the very opposite of what is represented by the carefully painted geometric shapes.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1962. Beuys's interest in sound is indicated in this assemblage, which uses a vinyl record as its base. Sound was often an important part of the artist's 'actions', as he viewed the voice as a vital and direct transmitter of energy and a way to sculpt sound. Music also became an integral part of the artist's 'actions' of the 1960s, influenced by his collaborations with the Fluxus group which contained many musicians. Here, Beuys has covered a record with the distinctive matt brown Braunkreuz oil paint often used for his paintings. The addition of seeds and vegetable matter represents nature.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1963. The materials Beuys chose to use in his work were selected for very particular reasons. The metal the artist used most often was copper, which, as a very good conductor of heat and electricity, was sometimes combined with felt. Other metals he used were iron, zinc, steel, gold and silver, with each carrying distinct associations. This work uses silver paper. Silver is an excellent conductor and is also associated with medicine and healing, which would have interested the artist. It has been used throughout history to treat wounds and burns, and is renowned for its antibacterial properties.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1963-1964. Beuys used newspapers in several of his works of the 1960s, and they are often seen folded up or bundled together. He regarded newspapers as a reservoir of information, commenting; "If all that remained of our century was a pile of newspapers, you would still have an incredibly rich cross section of human activities and specialisations on record, a battery of ideas". In this work, the artist has made additions to newspaper using Braunkreuz paint, in one instance nearly covering the whole page. The brown cross seen in many of his drawings appears at the centre of the piece.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1964. Sitting among the scientific and mathematical notations and facing each other as if in conversation, we see the shapes of two hares, painted in gold. For Beuys, gold was associated with alchemy and myth. The hare is an animal which also carries mythological associations. It is sacred to the Germanic spring goddess Ase and has been connected with the resurrection by Christians since medieval times. Beuys associated the animal with birth, the earth and with women. He was so fascinated with the hare that he once owned a Bentley which had a hare as an ornament on the bonnet.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. The vivid colour of this work suggests blood. Although Beuys sometimes painted with hare's blood, he used red in general to represent life and vitality. Colour was used sparingly by Beuys, as he often favoured the matt brown of Braunkreuz oil paint for his drawings and paintings. As a result, when he does use colour, it is extremely striking and significant. While this neat rectangle of colour may look like a piece of abstract art, this was not one of the artist's primary intentions, as Beuys's wider artistic goal was for the integration of art and reality.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1965. Thick wedges of fat are a distinctive material used in Beuys's sculptures, but he also made use of fat in his works on paper. The yellowed edge of the paper here shows where it has been dipped in liquid fat, smearing some of the pencil. Fat is a material with numerous associations for the artist, and one which is not traditionally associated with art. The fact it can be used in both its solid and liquid states represents its ability for chemical and physical change. The significance of the carefully crossed out list of numbers is unknown, but suggests a methodical process or countdown.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1972. Throughout his life, Beuys was interested in all aspects of the natural world. As a boy he collected and catalogued biological specimens and produced watercolour paintings of his local area. Among the first works Beuys exhibited after the Second World War were drawings from nature. The pressed leaves used here recall those works. Nature and the environment continued to play an important part in the artist's life throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In 1980 he was a founding member of Germany's Green Party. The following year he launched his ambitious project to plant 7000 trees with accompanying basalt columns in the city of Kassel: '7000 Eichen' (7000 Oaks).© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1974. Beuys was never seen in public without his felt trilby hat. It was one of the essential components of the image he carefully cultivated for himself. Symbolically, the hat insulated the artist's energetic brain, but more practically it helped to keep his head warm, as the head injuries he received in his wartime plane crash meant he was particularly susceptible to cold. In common with the beliefs of some tribes, Beuys saw the head as sacred. In his drawings the hat is one of the attributes of the shaman, and its presence also represents the presence of the artist.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1983. Ink stamps were used by Beuys in his drawings from the 1960s onwards. The kind most often seen is circular in design, featuring several symbols and the word 'Hauptstrom', which translates as 'Mainstream'. This diamond-shaped stamp is found in several works from the 1980s, and its repeated printing over a selection of scraps of paper here has been used to create a dazzling effect. Beuys began using ink stamps as a parody of official stamps used by bureaucracy. His 'Hauptstrom' stamps were often added after a work was made, changing its meaning and date. With the stamp used here, the diamond shape is central to the overall pattern created.© DACS 2008

Untitled

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1955. In this collage, the artist has combined a leaf with lime, putting a mineral element together with an object from the natural world. Beuys occasionally used leaves and pressed flowers in his early works of the 1940s and 1950s, and drawings of natural forms were included in his first exhibitions after the Second World War. This reflects an interest in the natural sciences which was lifelong. In later years, Beuys referred to the 1950s as a period of preparation, which he spent reading and making hundreds of drawings which influenced his later sculpture and 'actions'.© DACS 2009

Untitled (Frauendarstellung)

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1958. The translation of the bracketed part of the title of this work tells us that it is a 'Representation of a Woman'. The woman is shown as a totemic figure, drawn with broad, confident brushstrokes, her curves contrasting with the geometric shapes of the background. Superimposed on the torso of the figure is a vessel shape. The equation of woman with vessel is found in many of Beuys's works of the 1950s, and is a relatively common one amongst male artists, influenced by Freudian theory. As elsewhere in Beuys's work, the female figure is not individualised.© DACS 2008

Weird Sister

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1953 - 1962. This painting has been made on a piece of acetate using two types of oil, including the 'Braunkreuz' oil Beuys often used. Literally translated as 'Brown cross', this was a household paint commonly used for walls and floors. It was frequently used by the artist from the late 1950s when he wished to paint with a neutral material with sculptural qualities. The female figures in Beuys's work are usually shown in active positions, while male figures are static. Here, the two figures are crouching or squatting, as if ready to spring into action. The style of both the figures and the background also reflects Beuys's association of women with fluidity and movement© DACS 2008

Weisse Frau in Gras (Fairy) [White Woman in the Grass (Fairy)]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1954. In his drawings, Joseph Beuys often makes connections between humans, our environment and primitive rituals. By referring to the female figure in this drawing as a 'fairy', the artist makes reference to folklore. Beuys was greatly knowledgeable about German folk customs but he was equally interested in shamanism and the tribal magic of other cultures. His use of colour is always deliberate and significant, and in this drawing, he has suggested the woman's connection to nature by surrounding her with green grass. His use of watercolour as a medium also ties in with his depictions of women as fluid and connected with water.© DACS 2008

Weisse Trübung [White Turbulence]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1963. The medium of this work, two paintings on board, seems almost too ordinary for Beuys and very different from his work of the same period. Yet by enclosing the paintings in a specially-designed box of glass and zinc, he makes the work refer to his fascination with heat and energy. The artist used several different metals regularly in his work, with each representing different properties - zinc signifies insulation. The box is similar to the vitrines Beuys used to display selections of objects.© DACS 2008

Whale Trap

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1966. Beuys's depictions of sea creatures reflect his interest in tribal magic and beliefs. The whale is associated with religion in several cultures, as well as being referred to in the Bible, most notably in the story of Jonah and the whale. Here, three whales circle around a shape which presumably represents a trap. The artist often used sound in his performed 'actions' and this painting also has an aspect of movement and sound. The whales are shown producing water from their blow holes, and have their mouths open as if communicating with whale song.© DACS 2008

Woman with Falling Stone

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1959. In this drawing we see a female figure, drawn between the vertical lines of lined paper, as if trapped inside an accounts book. The drawing is an example of the artist incorporating the features pre-existing on his material to enhance his work. This device of trapping the woman serves to highlight her isolation. This is a feature frequently seen in Beuys's drawings of women in the 1950s, as is the lack of definition on the figure's face. The woman is shown as statuesque but the falling stone looms ominously above her head, bringing the threat of impending violence to the image.© DACS 2008

Yellow on Centre

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1984. Although Beuys did not create art in a deliberately abstract style, this work is reminiscent of German artist Josef Albers's series of works 'Homage to the Square', as well as of the colourful abstracts of Beuys's favourite pupil, Blinky Palermo. The use of the square here focuses attention on the simplicity of the shape and the colour, made all the more striking by the neutral cardboard background. Beuys viewed colour as a 'material', using it deliberately and sparingly. Yellow is a colour which suggests warmth and sunshine. Another notable appearance of the colour in the artist's work can be found in the multiple 'Capri Battery' (1985), where the yellow suggests the sunshine of the Italian island where Beuys lived while recovering from a lung condition.© DACS 2008

Young Blacksmith with his Work

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1971. The figure in this drawing wears the same trilby hat as the artist, showing that Beuys is casting himself as the blacksmith, with the power to work metal, changing its form from solid to liquid using fire. The figure of the blacksmith had been of interest to Beuys since his childhood. At the age of eight he had played games based on the legend of Genghis Khan, and later explained that a rough translation of Genghis Khan was 'John Smith', meaning he would have been a blacksmith. In this role, working with fire to create tools and objects from metal, Beuys compared Khan to a shaman, another figure who appears in the artist's work.© DACS 2009

Zeige deine Wunde [Show Your Wound]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1977-1984. This negative image shows a pair of dissecting tables which were used in the 1974-75 installation 'Show Your Wound'. Beuys created the installation in a dark and dingy pedestrian underpass in Munich, where the sounds of traffic overhead and harsh glare of neon lights were an integral part of the atmosphere created. Above the tables are two rectangular metal boxes, their placement suggesting the position of 'heads' to bodies lying on the beds. Beuys used double images and objects to refer to death, and the divisions within people and society. As he had suffered a heart attack in 1975, the allusions to death and inclusion of the tables (as used in a mortuary) are particularly striking.© DACS 2008

Zu demVortrag: Der Soziale Organismus - ein Kunstwerk, Bochum 2.03.1974 [For the lecture: The social organism - a work of art, Bochum, 2nd March 1974]

National Galleries of Scotland

Joseph Beuys - 1971. Beuys began to use blackboards in his early 'actions' when working with the Fluxus group in the early 1960s. They were an effective way of transmitting information in the lectures he gave, which became an increasingly important part of his later work. This is the only blackboard in the ARTIST ROOMS Collection. Taken from a lecture given in the West German city of Bochum, the artist seems to be showing how nature should be at the centre of our society. The circles and lines connecting animal, man and nature (represented by sketches of the sun and mountains) support Beuys's belief that we must listen to our natural instincts.© DACS 2008

Professor Sir Alexander Fleming, 1881-1955. Discoverer of penicillin

National Galleries of Scotland

E. Roland Bevan, Professor Sir Alexander Fleming - Dated 1948. This bronze cast was acquired the year after Sir Alexander Fleming's death, although the original sculpture was created in 1948. By this time Fleming was an international celebrity, showered with honours and awards for his contribution to the discovery of penicillin and his pioneering research on its antibacterial properties. Twenty years earlier he had made the world-famous observation of a mould inhibiting the growth of bacteria, suspecting that the mould, Penicillum notatum, had accidentally entered his laboratory through an open window. Although Fleming was a shy man, the sculptor E Roland Bevan would have had ample opportunity to study his features, as he was his snooker partner - or opponent - at the Chelsea Arts Club for many years.

Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey, 1773 - 1850. Judge and critic

National Galleries of Scotland

William Bewick, Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey - 1824. Jeffrey had a distinguished legal and political career. As Lord Advocate he had responsibility for the Scottish Reform Bill of 1832. He was also a brilliant literary critic; he was one of the founders of the Edinburgh Review, an influential and successful periodical which he edited for several years. The English artist Bewick made this drawing during a visit to Scotland; Sir Walter Scott gave him a letter of introduction to Lord Jeffrey who, because of his busy schedule, agreed to sit for him over breakfast. The artist was impressed by his sitter's lively expression but said that it 'required to be caught on the instant, as it vanished in the next'.

Sir William Allan, 1782 - 1850. Artist.

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir William Allan, William Bewick - Dated 1824. Edinburgh-born artist William Allan was apprenticed to a coach painter before studying at the city’s Trustees’ Academy. He continued his studies in London until 1805. That year he went to Russia and traveled widely in the region until he returned to Scotland in 1814. Allan settled in Edinburgh where he painted scenes inspired by his travels as well as subjects from Scottish history. In 1826 he became Master of the Trustees’ Academy and in 1838 was elected President of the Royal Scottish Academy. This large chalk drawing of Allan is by William Bewick, who visited Scotland in 1824 on a fund-raising mission. During his visit Bewick drew a series of portraits of important Scots including surgeon Robert Liston, writer Anne MacVicar and artist Alexander Nasmyth.

Untitled [Father and Dog]

National Galleries of Scotland

Raymond Billingham, Richard Billingham - 1995. This photograph shows Billingham's father Ray, whom the artist describes as 'a chronic alcoholic. He doesn't like going outside and mostly drinks home brew.' Billingham's pictures of his family are funny but also poignant and slightly alarming. He photographs his parents and younger brother sitting about at home, eating, drinking and doing nothing. In so doing, he presents a portrait of his family at their best and worst.© The Artist. Courtesy of Anthony Reynolds Gallery, London

Untitled [Mother and Cat]

National Galleries of Scotland

Elizabeth Billingham, Richard Billingham - 1995. This photograph shows Billingham's mother Liz and her cat. The artist says that his mother 'likes pets and things that are decorative.' Billingham's photographs show a no-holds-barred representation of his family, where sometimes the pets seem to be the most normal family members. He has denied that there is any political agenda behind his photographs, insisting they are merely loving portrayals of his family.© The Artist. Courtesy of Anthony Reynolds Gallery, London

John Reith, 1st Baron Reith of Stonehaven, 1889 - 1971. Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir Oswald Birley, John Reith, 1st Baron Reith of Stonehaven - 1933. In 1922 Reith became the first general manager of the British Broadcasting Corporation and from 1927 he was its Director-General. He had real vision about the role of the BBC in the life of the nation and was largely responsible for establishing the public service ethos of broadcasting and his standards (often imposed dictatorially) are still just evident. This painting is a copy of one commissioned by the BBC. Reith selected the artist who has successfully conveyed his sitter's determined nature. A large scar, received during the First World War, is just visible on his left cheek.© Estate of Sir Oswald Birley

A. 15 April 64

National Galleries of Scotland

Julius Bissier - 1964. This is one of Bissier's late works. It is painted in tempera on a cloth prepared by the artist, which is the reason for its uneven edge. Bissier mixed his own pigments to produce rich, transparent colours. Influenced by oriental paintings, Bissier applied paint delicately, with a similar importance placed on line. The delicate, abstract qualities of this painting are balanced by the use of strong areas of colour. Bissier's works tend not to be either fully abstract or figurative but the shapes in his paintings often suggest everyday objects.© DACS 2005

Contact Isn't Lost

National Galleries of Scotland

Karla Black - 2008. This large work fills and dominates the specified space it is created in. Comprising a variety of materials typical to Black’s work, the sculpture’s fragility contrasts to its commanding nature. The subtle pink colour is created with crushed children’s chalk, which, when combined with crisp white plaster and billowing polythene sheets, creates a sense of both movement and tranquillity. With its deliberate edges the work moves away from being purely gestural to demonstrate Black’s definitive decision-making process. Black’s intentionally evocative titles, such as ‘Contact Isn’t Lost’, highlight her belief that language occupies a secondary role in comparison to the work itself and the effect it has on the viewer.© Karla Black

Flowers on an Indian Cloth

National Galleries of Scotland

Elizabeth Blackadder - 1965. Blackadder has become well-known for her paintings of flowers, which began to appear in her drawings and paintings from the 1960s. After acquiring several Persian rugs in 1964, Blackadder began a series of paintings inspired by their rich colours and patterns. At that stage in her work, as with 'Flowers on an Indian Cloth', flowers were generally incorporated to form an overall decorative composition. The 1960s were an era of optimism, which is reflected in the artist's use of bright colours.© Elizabeth Blackadder

Iris Oncocylus

National Galleries of Scotland

Elizabeth Blackadder - 1996. In this painting, the artist has used watercolours to capture the delicacy of the lilies, as well as their vivid colour. A lifelong lover of flowers, Blackadder kept a collection of local flowers as a child, each pressed and labelled with their Latin names. Here, she depicts the lilies from different angles with the precision of a botanical illustrator. Yet despite her painstaking attention to detail, the flowers look graceful and full of life. Lilies are a favourite flower of the artist, and in 1979 she began keeping a sketchbook to document each variety as it appeared in her garden. Around this time, Blackadder was also a frequent visitor to Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens, where she helped to run a course in botanical illustration, which gave her access to rare and exotic plants.© Elizabeth Blackadder

Margaret Swain, 1909 - 2002. Textile historian

National Galleries of Scotland

Elizabeth Blackadder, Margaret Swain - 1999. Textile historian Margaret Swain was the first person to realise that Scotland was unusual in the number of private houses which still contained historic textiles. Swain documented these textiles from old family papers and bills, and brought them to scholarly attention. She made an important contribution to the study of the fine series of tapestries at the Palace of Holyrood and has published on the needlework of Mary, Queen of Scots. In this portrait, Blackadder has used pencil to capture the lines and creases on the sitter's face. The softly smudged colours express a sense of warmth.© Elizabeth Blackadder

Mollie Hunter, b. 1922. Writer

National Galleries of Scotland

Elizabeth Blackadder, Mollie Hunter - 1988. Mollie Hunter is best known as an author of fantasy and history novels for children. Born in Longniddry, East Lothian, she maintains that her country upbringing has always been at the heart of her writing. Her father’s death when she was nine was a life-changing event which she describes in her book ‘A Sound of Chariot’. When Hunter was forced to leave school at fourteen and to take a job in Edinburgh, she studied history and folklore in libraries during the evenings. In 1940 she married Thomas McIlwraith during a period of leave from his Navy training. They spent most of the war years apart, but later had two sons. In the 1980s McIlwraith famously helped Hunter recover from paralysis brought on by arthritis, by developing a special diet for her without animal fats.© Elizabeth Blackadder

Orchids and Pears

National Galleries of Scotland

Elizabeth Blackadder - 1985. Paintings of flowers have been a central part of Elizabeth Blackadder’s work since the 1970s. She began painting orchids in 1980, and in 1993 made a portfolio of orchid etchings in conjunction with Glasgow Print studio, to mark the fourteenth World Orchid Conference being held in Glasgow. The intricate shapes of the orchids in this painting are intensely observed, but they retain a sense of life about them. Blackadder began to incorporate exotic fruit in her paintings in the 1980s, and here has included two Chinese pears as well as pieces of patterned material. The resulting painting is a lively and striking combination of colours, textures and shapes. Blackadder is known for her joyful still-life paintings that bring together diverse and curious objects.© Elizabeth Blackadder

Amelia Robertson Paton, Mrs D.O. Hill, 1820 - 1904. Sculptress

National Galleries of Scotland

Alexander Blaikley, Amelia Robertson Hill - about 1863. This delicate chalk drawing depicts Amelia Robertson Paton, portrait sculptor and second wife of the painter and photographic pioneer David Octavius Hill. She was also the elder sister of prominent artists Joseph Noël and Waller Hugh Paton. Her earlier works consisted mainly of portraits of family and friends, but her professional career flourished after her marriage, aged forty-two, to D.O. Hill. The Hills were prominent members of the Edinburgh social scene and Mrs Hill sculpted portrait busts of eminent sitters such as Thomas Carlyle, Sir George Harvey and physicist David Brewster. She also completed a number of public commissions, including memorial statues of David Livingston in Princes Street Gardens, and Robert Burns in Dumfries.

God Writing upon the Tables of the Covenant

National Galleries of Scotland

William Blake, God, Moses - about 1805. Flames and trumpeting angels frame the statuesque figure of God who is seen from behind. Towering over the kneeling Moses, God raises his arms and prepares to inscribe the Ten Commandments on the stone tablets before him. The subject was inspired by an episode in the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy. This is one of eighty watercolours of Biblical subjects Blake produced between 1800 and 1809. They were made for Thomas Butts, a military clerk, who shared his philosophies and whose son Blake taught to engrave.

William Drummond of Hawthornden, 1585 - 1649. Poet

National Galleries of Scotland

Abraham van Blijenberch, William Drummond of Hawthornden - 1612. William Drummond's father held a position at the court of James VI, and William was brought up amongst poets and writers. He studied in Edinburgh, London, Bourges and Paris, intending to be a lawyer. However, when his father died, Drummond abandoned his legal career and devoted himself to poetry and mechanical experiments. His chief works include Tears on the Death of Meliades, a lament on the death of Prince Henry, and The Cyprus Grove. This portrait shows him in elegant court dress, with a fine lace collar.

Landscape with Herdsmen and Animals in front of the Baths of Diocletian, Rome

National Galleries of Scotland

Pieter van Bloemen - . This picturesque view of Rome, with the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian in the background, was once thought to be by Jan Asselijn. The current attribution to Pieter van Bloemen is more likely, as this type of Italianate landscape with careful groupings of figures and animals is typical of his work. In the 1560s, fragments of the ruined Roman baths had been converted into the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli by Pope Pius IV. Van Bloemen, with his masterful control over seemingly incidental detail, has included the tiny cross of the church at the apex of one of the roofs.

Mary II, 1662 - 1694. Reigned jointly with William III, 1688 - 1694

National Galleries of Scotland

Abraham Blooteling, Sir Peter Lely, Mary II - After 1677. Mary II was the eldest daughter of the future James VII and II and his first wife, Anne Hyde. This beautiful mezzotint by Abraham Blooteling was printed after her marriage to William of Orange in 1677, as it includes her title as Princess of Orange inscribed in Latin. Lely’s portrait, which this print is a reproduction of, was painted around the time of her marriage and shows her sitting in a landscape, holding a posy of flowers. The scalloped hem of her sleeve, just visible on the right-hand side, is more obvious in the painted portrait and would indicate to a contemporary audience that Mary was playing a pastoral role, such as a shepherdess or nymph. These roles were made fashionable from popular plays and masques, and deemed suitable for the depiction of young brides in portraits.

Robert Henderson Blyth, 1919 - 1970. (Self-portrait as soldier in trenches). Sub-titled 'Existence Precarious'

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Henderson Blyth, Robert Henderson Blyth - 1946. The artist Robert Henderson Blyth joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1941 and served in Europe throughout the Second World War. He carried a lamp in his pack, which, when fitted with a special bulb, allowed him to paint during the hours of darkness. This picture was painted at the end of the war and shows a soldier, who appears to be the artist himself, having a quiet smoke. Behind him, a colleague is either asleep or dead. Far from being a celebration of victory, this is an image of a world devastated by war.© Estate of Robert Henderson Blyth

Commodore George Johnstone, 1730 - 1787. Naval commander and Governor of Western Florida

National Galleries of Scotland

John Bogle, Commodore George Johnstone - about 1774. Commodore George Johnstone had a mixed career as a naval commander and politician. Governor of Western Florida from 1763, a member of Parliament from 1768, and one of the commissioners appointed to negotiate with the American Colonies in 1778, he had a reputation as a hot-tempered dualist and, although courageous, he seems to have lacked judgement. Although this is a beautifully painted miniature, with meticulously rendered textures, the artist still manages to convey something of Johnstone's rather tricky character.

The Adoration of the Magi

National Galleries of Scotland

Vitale da Bologna (Vitale dAimo de Cavalli), Jesus Christ, The Virgin Mary, St Catherine of Alexandria, St Ursula - about 1353 - 1355. One of the Kings is pointing to the star which led them to the Christ Child in Bethlehem. The two female saints are identified by their attributes as St Catherine with the wheel, and St Ursula, accompanied by a few of the eleven thousand companions (with whom, according to her legend) she was martyred. This painting was originally the left panel of a diptych hinged in the middle; the related panel, painted with Christ mourned by saints, is now in the Fondazione Longhi, Florence.

Self-Portrait

National Galleries of Scotland

David Bomberg, David Bomberg - 1937. This dark, brooding self-portrait was painted in Hampstead in 1937. It is one of a series of introspective works painted that year, which reflect the artist's depression following a number of setbacks. The Tate Gallery had declined to acquire any of his works for their collection; the situation in Nazi Germany was becoming increasingly black, with Jewish artists forbidden to exhibit; and the Civil War in Bomberg's beloved Spain continued. Bomberg, who was Jewish, became actively involved in anti-fascist activities.© The Artist's Family

Vigilante

National Galleries of Scotland

David Bomberg - Dated 1955. Although today Bomberg is seen as an important figure in post-war British art, throughout his lifetime he failed to gain much recognition. In 1954, hopeful of a new start, he returned to Spain with the dream of establishing a school of art. This work is one of a final series of figure paintings he completed whilst there. The simplified and fragmented hooded figure represented is not recognisable as the old Spanish gypsy woman Bomberg used as a model. It can be seen as an introspective depiction of the depression that repeatedly shrouded the artist. Painted in the last years of his life, it is perhaps an acknowledgement of his own mortality - showing a weakening figure with bowed head, bathed in a bright, almost religious, light.© The Artist's Family

Archway at Fonte

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir Muirhead Bone - . This work in watercolour and chalk shows an archway in the continental town of Fonte. Bone’s first prolonged trip abroad was spent in Italy between 1910 and 1912. He travelled to Holland the following year and from the 1920s to 1930s he visited Spain, France, Turkey and Sweden, producing both etchings and watercolours during his trips. There are towns called Fonte in both Italy and Spain, therefore we do not have an exact date for this work as it could have been produced at any time between 1910 and 1930 during Bone’s travels. Bone has made effective use of chiaroscuro in his depiction of the shady archways, contrasting the darkened areas of the arches with the shafts of sunlight falling in between.© Estate of Sir Muirhead Bone. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2009

The National Gallery and Bank of Scotland

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir Muirhead Bone - 1910. This beautifully detailed drawing depicts the National Gallery of Scotland and Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh, as seen from Princes Street. Bone was particularly skilled at depicting detail and it has been suggested that this was a result of his being long-sighted in one eye and short-sighted in the other. The drawing was bequeathed to the National Galleries of Scotland by Sir James Caw in 1950, and is inscribed ‘In return for tea at Edinburgh Sept. 16, 1910.’ Sir James Caw was the first director of the National Gallery of Scotland, from 1907-30 and presumably Bone gave Caw this drawing of his place of work as a gift for providing him with tea.© Estate of Sir Muirhead Bone. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2009

Todi from the Rocca

National Galleries of Scotland

Sir Muirhead Bone - 1910 - 1912. This pastel drawing depicts the Italian town of Todi in Umbria. The ‘rocca’ of the title is the town’s medieval fortress and highest point. This drawing shows the view of the town as seen from the fortress, with the Tevere valley below. Bone visited Italy from 1910-12 - it was his first prolonged visit abroad. This drawing is very different from the precise, architectural etchings with which Bone is normally associated. The expressionistic treatment of the landscape is reminiscent of the Spanish artist El Greco.© Estate of Sir Muirhead Bone. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2009

George Johnston, 1797 - 1855. Naturalist and author

National Galleries of Scotland

William Bonnar, George Johnston - Dated 1849. Although he trained and worked as a physician, George Johnston was a botanist and zoologist at heart. His studies in natural history resulted in some ninety articles in scientific journals and several books on British flora and fauna. In 1831 he was one of the founders of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club and became its first president. Most of his life he lived in and rarely left his beloved Berwick, and his first major publication was 'The Flora of Berwick-upon-Tweed', which was illustrated by his wife. Other publications include the 'History of British Zoophytes' and his 'History of British Sponges and Lithophytes', which may be the volumes on his desk in this portrait.

George Meikle Kemp, 1795 - 1844. Architect and designer of the Scott Monument

National Galleries of Scotland

William Bonnar, George Meikle Kemp - about 1840. Kemp, who had originally trained as a carpenter, was one of the 54 entrants in the 1836 competition for a Walter Scott memorial in Edinburgh. Inspired by medieval ruins and Gothic architecture, he entered under the pseudonym of John Morvo, a name that appears as an inscription on Melrose Abbey and is thought to have been of a mason working on the building. The proposals earned him one of three prizes, and when the competition was rerun in 1838 Kemp won the commission. Initially controversial, his monument to Scott is a striking Gothic structure that dominates Princes street. Sadly, Kemp drowned in the Union Canal before the monument’s completion. His brother-in-law, William Bonnar, the artist of this portrait, supervised the building work until its conclusion.

Échappee sur la rivière, Vernon [View of the River, Vernon]

National Galleries of Scotland

Pierre Bonnard - 1923. This painting shows a view close to Bonnard's home in Vernonnet in northern France. The river Seine can be seen through the trees and bushes, while on the right there are three figures walking through the undergrowth. A fallen tree or branch is reduced to a slashed diagonal line which serves to unite the foreground and distance. As in many of Bonnard's mature landscapes, the rich colour and sensuous handling of paint create a feeling of warmth and luxuriance.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

Ruelle à Vernonnet [Lane at Vernonnet]

National Galleries of Scotland

Pierre Bonnard - about 1912 - 1914. In 1912 Bonnard bought a house in Vernonnet a village on the Seine, north west of Paris. He became good friends with fellow artist Claude Monet who lived in the nearby town of Giverny. When Bonnard moved to Vernonnet he abandoned the dark colours he had used in his early work for a palette of glowing purples, pinks, greens and yellows, as seen in this painting. Like many other artists, Bonnard found that the bright light led him to paint in more vibrant tones.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

A Singing Practice

National Galleries of Scotland

Gerard ter Borch - about 1655. A young woman with her back to us holds a song book. The relationship between her and the seated figures may be intentionally ambiguous. The man’s keen interest in the girl’s singing suggests his role might that of suitor rather than tutor. The older woman enjoying a drink may have been instrumental in arranging the ‘lesson’. The restrained composition complements the scene’s subtle intrigue and also emphasises the shimmering satins and silks of the characters’ clothes. It is one of at least three versions of the same theme.

A Left Foot

National Galleries of Scotland

Paris Bordon - about 1530. The attribution of this drawing to Paris Bordon is based on stylistic comparison with other sheets by him in black and white chalk on blue paper. The soft contours used to outline the toes and the limited use of white highlights reoccurs in some of Bordon’s other work. Bordon produced many studies of the details of figures and draperies that he intended to incorporate into his paintings. This drawing corresponds closely, but not exactly, to the left foot of the figure of St Sebastian in his altarpiece in the Chiesa Arcipretale in Valdobbiadene.

Venetian Women at their Toilet

National Galleries of Scotland

Paris Bordon - about 1545. The two younger women would have been recognised immediately by contemporaries as courtesans. Their elaborately braided hair cascades over their bare shoulders, and the central figure's unfastened bodice is sensually provocative. She admires her reflection in the mirror held by older woman with a darker complexion, who may be their procuress. The mirror also alludes, however, to the transience of physical beauty. The ornate character of the box-like interior contributes to the painting's spatial ambiguity and its decorative appearance. It was probably painted for a wealthy Venetian patron.

Saint Christopher Carrying the Infant Christ

National Galleries of Scotland

Orazio Borgianni, Jesus Christ, St Christopher - about 1615. The huge figure of St Christopher looms out of the dark background, as he stoops under the weight of the diminutive Christ Child. According to legend, it was only when Christopher reached the other side of the river, having carried a child across, who had seemed to get heavier and heavier, that Christ revealed his true identity. He explained to the saint that he had been carrying 'the weight of the world' on his shoulders. The nocturnal setting emphasises Christ's divine light and adds to the drama. Borgianni painted several versions of this composition.

City Park: Strolling, Turning, Kneeling

National Galleries of Scotland

Christine Borland - 1997. This work is one of a series in which the artist was inspired by crime scenes, after seeing a display in the Police Museum in Glasgow. The display consisted of drops of blood on pieces of paper. Its label explained how it was possible to measure the drops and so calculate what had caused them. Borland was interested in how an entire scenario could be constructed from such minimal information. The photographs in this piece recall the style of police photographs that objectively record a crime scene, while the melons remind us of human flesh. Melons are also often used in the making of films for shooting practice.© Christine Borland

Spirit Collection: Hippocrates

National Galleries of Scotland

Christine Borland - 1999. While doing research at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow, Borland discovered that in the hospital grounds was a plane tree grown from a sapling of a tree, underneath which Hippocrates, the founding father of medicine, had taught in the fifth century B.C.. The artist was intrigued by this link with the past, which fitted in with her research into the importance of the family tree in determining medical conditions. Inspired by a Victorian spirit collection of botanical material preserved in alcohol, Borland preserved 100 leaves from the plane tree in individual glass containers. The leaves were bleached so only their beautiful and fragile skeleton-like structures remain.© Christine Borland

Twin, hand-made, child-birth demonstration model

National Galleries of Scotland

Christine Borland, William Smellie - 1997. Borland is interested in the relationship between art and anatomy, and in the history of medicine. This work was made following the artist's discovery of two hand-made models used by William Smellie (1697-1763), a pioneer of obstetrics in Scotland. Used in child-birth demonstration lessons, the leather and sawdust models contained real foetal skulls. Although they had a macabre and tragic story, the models equally had a positive role as teaching aids. Borland made this model to the exact specifications of the demonstration models, hand-stitching the leather but using a plastic skull. The work poignantly suggests the unknown foetuses used in the original models.© Christine Borland

Plaza

National Galleries of Scotland

Derek Boshier - 1965. Boshier became well-known for his Pop Art paintings in the early 1960s, but by 1965 had progressed to painting in the geometric style which is associated with Op Art. This shift in style came after the artist had spent a year in India and had become increasingly politically aware. ‘Plaza’ is one of a series of paintings which explore the mechanics of perception by using bright and repeated geometric patterns. The painting uses two shaped canvases with the smaller attached to the front of the larger one with metal struts. The sculptural element of the work prefigured the artist’s move into sculpture shortly after this piece was made.© The Artist

Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, 1834 - 1921. Architect of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

National Galleries of Scotland

Robert Rowand Anderson, William Graham Boss - 1894. This detailed drawing of Robert Rowand Anderson is the preliminary sketch for one of the roundels in the stained glass window commissioned for the east stairwell in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The window was presented to the Board of Manufactures by J. R. Findlay, to commemorate the opening of the Museum of Antiquities, which was also housed in the gallery building. There are twenty-four portraits in total, each surrounded by a different floral wreath. Those featured were of the Antiquaries Society’s office bearers in 1891, with Queen Victoria at the top. Anderson was the architect of the Gallery and the window was installed in 1894. Appropriately the wreath that surrounds his portrait is made out of Rowan berries.

The Virgin Adoring the Sleeping Christ Child

National Galleries of Scotland

Sandro Botticelli, Jesus Christ, The Virgin Mary - about 1490. Botticelli's composition, inspired by the work of Filippo Lippi, is unusual in two respects: canvas paintings were still uncommon at this time and the Christ Child was rarely shown asleep. This variation could be interpreted as a reminder of Christ's death. His future suffering for Mankind may also be symbolised by the detailed plants and fruits. The red strawberries, for example, may refer to Christ's blood. They also complement the beautiful rose bower which forms an 'enclosed garden', a symbol of the Virgin derived from the Old Testament Song of Solomon. The painting was probably designed for a domestic setting.

A Pastoral Scene ('L'Aimable Pastorale')

National Galleries of Scotland

François Boucher - 1762. A young man spies on a young woman asleep in a beautiful garden; they appear like a shepherd and nymph from classical poetry, transformed into a contemporary but idealised setting. Boucher's pastoral themes often depicted charming couples in bucolic settings, accompanied by animals. Here the young man's dog echoes his master's inquisitive stance, but directs his attention to the cat on the woman's lap. The delicate colouring enhances the picture's gentle mood. The proportions of the canvas suggest that it was designed to be set into a wall as part of a decorative scheme.

A Pastoral Scene ('L'Offrande à la Villageoise')

National Galleries of Scotland

François Boucher - Dated 1761. An amorous young birdcatcher makes an offering of a small bird to a barefoot young shepherd girl in an attempt to win her heart. Leaning over the birdcatcher’s shoulder is a young child who attempts to feed the remaining birds some grain, echoing the theme of offering and enticement. These parallel themes of nourishment of both the heart and the body respectively were intended to reinforce the romantic notion that love is as necessary as food. Boucher specialised in this type of decorative pastoral scene, although towards the end of his life such pictures were criticised for their seemingly ‘frivolous’ themes. This painting and its two companions which are also in the National Gallery of Scotland collection, were originally owned by the Marchal de Saincy family.

A Pastoral Scene ('La Jardinière Endormie')

National Galleries of Scotland

François Boucher - Dated 1762. The seemingly innocent romantic gesture of a young man leaving flowers for a sleeping woman thinly veils this painting’s true theme of lust and sexual attraction. His longing gaze signals his desire for her. The woman, like the garden in which she sleeps, is associated with fruitfulness, fertility and procreation. The giant urn above her and vegetables beneath her symbolise her capacity to carry and to nourish any potential children. This painting was exhibited at the 1765 Paris Salon where it was condemned by the French art critic Diderot. Along with the National Gallery of Scotland’s other two pastorals, this picture was in the collection of the Marchal de Saincy family. Originally, the paintings were not all the same size, but were subsequently cut to equal dimensions.

Madame de Pompadour (Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, 1721 - 1764)

National Galleries of Scotland

François Boucher, Madame de Pompadour (Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson) - about 1758. This half length portrait shows the sumptuously dressed mistress of Louis XV reclining elegantly on a couch. Her celebrated beauty is offset by the flowers, ribbons, lace and jewels of her costume, while her considerable intellectual interests are hinted at through the inclusion of the book and her writing desk. Boucher painted a series of portraits of Madame de Pompadour, born Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, who became one of the most influential and powerful figures of the French court. This painting is based on a larger full-length portrait completed by Boucher in 1756, now in the Alte Pinacotech, Munich.

The Rape of Europa

National Galleries of Scotland

François Boucher - about 1747. Following the Paris Salon of 1746, several critics voiced their concern at what they perceived as a decline in the quality of painting. To encourage native artists to renew their approach to history painting, a competition was proposed with the hope that a revival of the French School would follow. This sketch was Boucher’s initial compositional idea (‘première pensée’) for a painting of the Rape of Europa, which he submitted to the 1747 competition. Examples of Boucher’s premières pensées are rare as he often discarded them once the paintings were complete. The drawing demonstrates some initial thoughts that were omitted from the final picture, such as the bull gazing longingly at Europa. Boucher did not win the competition, and was heavily criticised for his unoriginal choice of subject.

The Port of Bordeaux

National Galleries of Scotland

Louis-Eugène Boudin - Dated 1874. Although he spent most of his career working on the coast of Normandy, Boudin also paid many visits to the thriving Atlantic port of Bordeaux in the south-west of France. Between 1852 and 1893 he exhibited there frequently and was patronised by local collectors. In the autumn of 1874 he stayed there for six weeks, painting a total of forty-seven works including this one. It shows the river Garonne near the Gironde estuary, situated just below the centre of Bordeaux. The buildings of the town are just visible beyond the varied masts and sails of the boats that crowd the estuary. Boudin’s free brushwork and observation of contemporary life mark him out as an important forerunner of Impressionism.

Trouville Harbour

National Galleries of Scotland

Louis-Eugène Boudin - 1873. This lively scene is characteristic of Boudin's small paintings of the Normandy coast. Boudin deliberately placed the horizon low in the picture to emphasise the ever-changing sky, here filled with puffs of cloud blown by a strong wind. The wind also animates the sails of the many ships in and around the harbour. The port of Trouville was just a few miles to the west of Honfleur and was one of Boudin's favourite subjects. The building on the point has been identified as the Hotel Bellevue.

Villefranche Harbour

National Galleries of Scotland

Louis-Eugène Boudin - Dated 1892. Although Boudin is associated mainly with the Normandy coast, during the 1890s he regularly wintered in the south of France, painting at Antibes, Beaulieu, Nice, Juan-les-Pins and Villefranche-sur-Mer. He had first travelled to the area in 1885 due to poor health. Villefranche lies on the Mediterranean coast to the east of Nice, and Boudin recorded many views of the harbour, citadel and surrounding landscape. The town has a deep-water harbour, capable of accommodating large boats. In this picture sailors in the right foreground are waiting to be transported across to their ships anchored in the harbour. The old Service de Santé, where sailors would have a medical check-up after arriving at the port, is visible on the right at the end of the pier.

Berwick-upon-Tweed

National Galleries of Scotland

Samuel Bough - 1863. Bough first sketched this view in 1837, choosing a vantage point already made popular by the great English landscape painter J.M.W. Turner. This painting of 1863 is based on Bough's earlier sketch, and shows many of the chief features of Berwick. The town had been fought over by England and Scotland for centuries, changing hands no less than thirteen times between 1296 and 1482. The Old Bridge, today one of three bridges spanning the River Tweed at this point, was begun in the reign of King James VI and I in the early seventeenth century. The magnificent ramparts date from the reign of Queen Elizabeth fifty years earlier.

Off St Andrews

National Galleries of Scotland

Samuel Bough - Dated 1856. This dramatically lit scene shows a view just off the harbour of St Andrews, looking back towards the town. The remains of the ruined Cathedral can be seen perched on the hill. They form a backdrop to the foreground drama of the fishing boat venturing out into the turbulent waters of St Andrews Bay, notorious for its heavy swell and frequent shipwrecks. Benefitting from improvements in rail connections across Scotland, Bough made frequent excursions to the coastal towns and villages of the East Neuk of Fife from the 1850s to the 1870s. This painting was completed in 1856, the same year that Bough was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy.

Royal Volunteer Review, 7 August 1860

National Galleries of Scotland

Samuel Bough - Dated 1860. The Royal Review of the Scottish Volunteer regiments in Holyrood Park was the defining social event in Edinburgh in 1860. Among the participating regiments was the Artists’ Company whose members included John Pettie, William McTaggart and the expatriate English landscape painter Samuel Bough. Three other leading Scottish painters, D.O. Hill, Noel Paton and W.B. Johnstone, Keeper of the new National Gallery of Scotland, advised the civic authorities on the design of the ceremonial decorations. Bough’s ambitious picture was one of several commemorative paintings undertaken as a commercial venture by opportunistic local artists. In the foreground, below St Anthony’s Chapel, artillerymen are firing a salute to greet Queen Victoria and her cortège who are about to inspect the regiments.

Snowballing Outside Edinburgh University

National Galleries of Scotland

Samuel Bough - Dated 1853. This charming watercolour shows students having a snowball fight outside the main entrance to Edinburgh University. Established by King James VI in 1583, Edinburgh University is the sixth oldest in Britain. In 1789 Robert Adam supplied designs for a splendid new building with a grand central courtyard, but lack of finances and the architect’s death resulted in a series of delays. The University was eventually completed in 1833 to modified designs supplied by William Henry Playfair. On the left, the entrance to the University, with its great portico framed by six large columns, was the most dominant feature of Adam’s original design. Bough has added subtle white highlights throughout to suggest the fine dusting of snow on the buildings.(VH: Images of Winter Weston Link Display Christmas 2006)

La Vierge d'Alsace [The Virgin of Alsace]

National Galleries of Scotland

Cléopatre Bourdelle, Emile-Antoine Bourdelle, Rhodia Bourdelle - 1919 - 1921. This sculpture is an intermediary model for a six-metre-tall stone carving, which stands on a hill near Niederbruck in Alsace, France. The style of the work reflects Bourdelle's love of French Gothic sculpture. The figure of the Virgin is based on the artist's wife Cléopatre, and the child Jesus is modelled on his daughter Rhodia. Cléopatre was also a sculptor and the head-scarf worn by the Virgin was inspired by one she used when carving, to keep the dust out of her hair.

Kangra - Monuments of Sutteeism

National Galleries of Scotland

Samuel Bourne - about 1864. The little brick monuments in this picture commemorate the Hindu widows who committed ritual suicide (Suttee) on the funeral pyre of their husbands. Westerners unused to India's religions and customs, were horrified and fascinated by such practices. Photographs like this one were bought in huge numbers by tourists and colonial officials, collecting souvenirs of their time in India. They were also distributed in Britain by a London firm, which made its money by offering glimpses of a distant and seemingly exotic culture to a curious home audience.

Mussucks for Crossing the Beas Below Bajoura

National Galleries of Scotland

Samuel Bourne - about 1866. Samuel Bourne made three expeditions through the Himalayas at remarkably high altitudes. He embarked on the third of those in July 1866, aiming to eventually photograph the source of the River Ganges. Near the beginning of the journey his party had to cross the River Beas. This was done by floating on "mussucks", or inflated buffalo skins.

Electric Trees and Telephone Booth Conversations

National Galleries of Scotland

Martin Boyce - 2006. This dramatic and atmospheric installation incorporates various sculptural elements, which together create a disconcerting, yet somehow familiar, environment. The vocabulary that Boyce has employed is derived from his discovery of a photograph of the concrete trees designed by the Martel brothers for the Art Deco exhibition held in Paris in 1925. According to Boyce these trees “represent a perfect collapse of architecture and nature”. From them he extracted a grid template that has since become a basis for all aspects of his practice. Here, the combination of a free-standing, coloured climbing frame, space-age phone-booths, suspended lighting and his own ‘concrete’ trees, creates a modernist theatre-set that transforms the gallery environment into a sinister playground on a dark night.© Martin Boyce

Now I've got real worry (Mask and L-bar)

National Galleries of Scotland

Martin Boyce - 1998 - 1999. The mask element in this work is made from the top of a plywood leg splint designed by Charles and Ray Eames and manufactured in 1942-3. The metal L-bar is part of the Eames-designed storage units (ESU 400s) which were manufactured in 1950-5. Boyce compares the ethos in which the objects were originally made during the post-war boom (using manufacturing techniques developed by the military for mass-production), to the cultural role they now fulfil, based on fashionable taste and monetary value. He deliberately altered the items - making the leg splint into a tribal mask and the L-bar into a spear - in order to highlight their changed role.© Martin Boyce

Untitled (Concrete Leaves)

National Galleries of Scotland

Martin Boyce - 2006. Boyce’s discovery of a photograph of four concrete trees made by the French artists Joël and Jan Martel in for the famous exhibition of decorative arts held in Paris in 1925 has become the defining point for the future development of his artistic output. He has since gone on to create his own versions of these modernist sculptures, identifiable in his installation based-work. A further derivative of the Martels’ cubist-inspired interpretations of nature is a grid template from which Boyce formed his own modernist typography. These angular letters feature often in his work and allow Boyce to cultivate his interest in language and narrative. This print features the text ‘Concrete Leaves’, the letters of which are made up from this grid pattern.© Martin Boyce

Untitled (Concrete Trees repeat)

National Galleries of Scotland

Untitled (Electric Trees)

National Galleries of Scotland

Martin Boyce - 2006. Boyce’s discovery of a photograph of four concrete trees made by the French artists Joël and Jan Martel in for the famous exhibition of decorative arts held in Paris in 1925 has become the defining point for the future development of his artistic output. He has since gone on to create his own versions of these modernist sculptures, identifiable in his installation based-work. A further derivative of the Martels’ cubist-inspired interpretations of nature is a grid template from which Boyce formed his own modernist typography. These angular letters feature often in his work and allow Boyce to cultivate his interest in language and narrative. The text in this print is a reference to other works by Boyce - trees constructed from fluorescent tube lighting.© Martin Boyce

Addison Crescent Study (London Series)

National Galleries of Scotland

Boyle Family - 1969. This is part of the 'London Series' group of works by Boyle Family. It is an exact, three-dimensional replica of a kerb from Addison Crescent in West London. The artists chose this area to replicate by throwing darts, at random, at a map. The work was made by spreading a plastic substance called Epikote on the ground, which lifts up all the surface debris when removed. This was then given a fibreglass support and painted. Working in this way and recording whatever is within the chosen area, removes the aspect of subjective choice and reduces the conscious, decision-making process.© Boyle Family

Skin Series No. 8

National Galleries of Scotland

Boyle Family - 1973. Boyle Family are perhaps best known for a series of works called ‘Journey to the Surface of the Earth’, in which they make exact replicas of randomly-selected portions of the earth’s surface. The ‘Skin Series’ is based on the same principal, mapping surfaces but on a microscopic scale. ‘Skin Series No.8’ is an image of a minute section of skin taken from the inside of Mark Boyle’s right elbow. Fourteen such works were made, each area being randomly chosen by throwing darts at a body chart. Each skin section was then frozen & removed. A negative image was taken, then enlarged and recorded on light sensitive paper. ‘Skin Series’ also relates to Boyle Family’s works of the 1960s which used bodily fluids.© Boyle Family

Study from the Broken Path Series with Border Edging

National Galleries of Scotland

Boyle Family - 1986. The works of Boyle Family replicate the world with the minimum of artistic intervention and as objectively as possible. They aim to make us look at reality with the same attention we would devote to a film or to the visual arts. Chance also plays an important role in determining what they will reproduce. This is one of a series of random studies of broken black and white paths, showing the process of disintegration and change. It is one of their ‘Earth Works’, in which they reproduce a section of ground, whether it be pavement, sand or soil.© Boyle Family

Portrait of a Boy (Aged 11)

National Galleries of Scotland

Jan de Braij (de Bray) - Dated 1662. This boy is the eldest son of the man and woman shown in NG 1500 and NG 1501. The facial similarities between him and both his father and younger brother (NG 1503) are clear; they share the same bulbous eyes, heavy brow and rounded chin. The inscription states that it was painted in 1662 when the boy was eleven years old. All four of the portraits in this family group were originally painted on rectangular panels, and were cut into ovals later.

Portrait of a Boy (Aged 7)

National Galleries of Scotland

Jan de Braij (de Bray) - Dated 1663. This painting shows the youngest son of a family group, whose portraits by de Braij are in the National Gallery of Scotland. A very faint inscription states that he is seven years old, and that de Braij painted him in 1663. This was the same year that the portrait of his mother (NG 1501) was made. It is not known whether or not there were any other members of this family that de Braij painted. Very few groups of individual family portraits such as this have survived.

Portrait of a Man

National Galleries of Scotland

Jan de Braij (de Bray) - 1662. This portrait of an unidentified man dressed in the dark-coloured clothing typical for a Dutch burgher, is enlivened by his ruddy complexion and bright white collar. His age, forty-seven, is inscribed on the painting, which is also signed and dated 1662. Jan de Braij painted the man’s eldest son, aged eleven in the same year. He also portrayed the man’s wife and their younger son, aged seven in 1663. All four works are in the National Gallery's collection and are very similar in terms of shape, size and colouring.

Portrait of a Woman

National Galleries of Scotland

Jan de Braij (de Bray) - Dated 1663. This lady is the only female in de Braij’s group of four portraits of a Dutch family in the National Gallery of Scotland. The inscription on the bottom left of the panel states that she is forty-seven years old, and that the portrait was painted in 1663. Her round features are rendered with a lively touch, and her eyes have a vitality that is testimony to de Braij’s skill as a portraitist. Her matron’s cap signals her position as a married woman.

Loch Slapin, Isle of Skye

National Galleries of Scotland

Bill Brandt - 1947. The 1940s was a period of transition for Brandt as he moved away from the interest he took in social issues in the 1930s towards a more contemplative style. Like other artists in the post-war period, Brandt turned to rural themes in a search for continuity and tradition rather than innovation and disruption. Armed with a Kodak camera with no shutter and a wide-angle lens with a pinhole aperture, he was able to look at the world 'like a mouse, a fish or a fly'. The use of steep perspective in this picture creates a dramatic sense of space.© Bill Brandt Archive Ltd.

Lord Macdonald's Forest, Isle of Skye

National Galleries of Scotland

Bill Brandt - 1947. This is one of eight photographs of Skye that Bill Brandt published in the monthly magazine Lilliput in November 1947. On his occasional visits to Scotland during the 1940s he created some magical photographs of the country, forming a contrast to his early documentary work on the city. This is not a pretty postcard view of the Highlands but a vision of the awesomeness of nature. The printing technique Brandt has used erases the detail of the landscape but increases the contrast between dark and light, and big and small, intensifying the way in which we experience this image.© Bill Brandt Archive Ltd.

Le Bougeoir [The Candlestick]

National Galleries of Scotland

Georges Braque - 1911. This is a very early example of one of Braque's paintings that includes lettering. The purpose of this lettering was to question the relationship between words, pictures and the objects they represent. Here, the lettering identifies the French-Catalan newspaper L'Indépendant, while the numbers refer to its price. Towards the top of the picture is a candle, which helps identify the shape below as a candlestick. A simple clay pipe- the kind Braque smoked - lies to the centre right, and below it are a bobbin and a pair of scissors.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

William III, 1650 - 1702. Reigned 1688 - 1702

National Galleries of Scotland

Anna Maria Braunin, William III - About 1700. William was a prince of the House of Orange, the royal family of the Netherlands. He came to power in 1672 when he was appointed Captain-General and Stadholder and led the Dutch to victory over the French. In 1677 William married his cousin Mary, eldest daughter of the future James VII and II. In 1688 he accepted the invitation of seven Protestant peers to invade England and dislodge his Catholic father-in-law, now king. James fled to France and William was offered the throne jointly with Mary in 1689. This unsettling coloured wax image presents the king as a military hero; William spent much of his reign at war, first in Ireland and then against the French in Flanders.

Boat Scene, Karachi

National Galleries of Scotland

Fred Bremner - about 1890. This photograph captures the industrious fishermen mending their nets and preparing to embark on another fishing trip from Karachi, India. Bremner enjoyed photographing the locals and although this image at first glance appears like a snapshot, it is, on closer inspection, carefully composed. The angle of the river bank is mirrored in the boats, masts and the figures, which are contained in the horizontal band below the horizon line, with just the leaning masts breaking free. The contours of the boats’ hulls draw the eye into the centre of the composition where Bremner has concentrated the detail of the ropes and nets.© Estate of Frederick Bremner © Pradip Malde

Fishing on the Indus

National Galleries of Scotland

Fred Bremner - about 1890. In 1889 Bremner returned to India with the intention of establishing his own photographic business in Karachi. However, the cost of this was expensive and it was the commission of two public projects that kept him afloat. One of these was to photograph the opening of the Lansdowne Bridge over the River Indus, which was arguably one of the greatest engineering feats of the nineteenth century. In contrast to Bremner’s shots of the dominating cantilever bridge, in this photograph, which was perhaps taken on the same day, Bremner has captured the traditional fishing methods used by the locals. The composition is characterised by strong horizontals, with the figures contained below the horizon line.© Estate of Frederick Bremner © Pradip Malde

Fruit Market, Quetta Bazaar

National Galleries of Scotland

Fred Bremner - 1900. Frederick Bremner wrote his own account of the Quetta Bazaar. It was 'inhabited by shopmen of various races and occupation. The most interesting are the Pathan dealers, whose goods are collected from all parts of the East...The tablet written in English at the back of the bazaar stall, and the paraffin lamp which hangs above he Pathan fruit-dealer's head, serve as tokens of the fact that the British are in possession, and he evidently wishes his customers to know that he is as enterprising as he is industrious'.© Estate of Frederick Bremner © Pradip Malde

Old man and Boy

National Galleries of Scotland

Fred Bremner - about 1900. This photograph is typical of Bremner’s work in its well-balanced composition and keen sense of detail. The old man is framed against a white wall which acts as a blank canvas, heightening the detail of his beard and the cushion he is leaning on. The horizontal pipe then leads the focus towards the young boy perched at the end of the bed. Unlike the old man, who makes eye contact with the camera, the boy appears disinterested, looking out of the frame. Sitting in the background are three men, but Bremner, in making them out-of-focus, ensures that attention is centred on the two figures in the foreground, encouraging the viewer to question the relationship between the old man and the boy.© Estate of Frederick Bremner © Pradip Malde

River crossing, River Jhelum, Kashmir

National Galleries of Scotland

Fred Bremner - 1900. When he travelled into Kashmir around 1900, Bremner was deeply impressed by the beauty of the country. He looked down the Jhelum Valley and wrote: 'In the depths of the valley below, some 3,000 feet, the river winds its tortuous way and the eye may sometimes rest on a figure slowly gliding through mid-air with no apparent support whatever. Coming to close quarters one sees a crossing by rope bridges... The Kashmiris walk across these fragile structures, carrying heavy loads and fearless of danger, but sometimes a bridge snaps with its living freight who gets carried away in the torrent below'.© Estate of Frederick Bremner © Pradip Malde

Woodcarver

National Galleries of Scotland

Fred Bremner - about 1900. A skilled craftsman himself, Bremner produced a series of large glass plate negatives showing Indian artisans at work. These photographs, like the one here, hint at the material wealth of India, which placed it at the heart of Britain's colonial economy. The ornamental appearance of the objects in this picture hides their practical uses from the viewer. Grouped on the left we see several bookstands, mirror frames and vases whereas the beautifully carved screen defines the woodcarver's 'studio' space.© Estate of Frederick Bremner © Pradip Malde

Cadavre exquis [Exquisite Corpse]

National Galleries of Scotland

André Breton, Jacqueline Lamba, Yves Tanguy - 9 February 1938. The Cadavre Exquis (Exquisite Corpse) was a favourite surrealist game from the mid-1920s onwards. It usually involved three or four participants who added to a drawing, collage or sentence, without seeing what the others had already done. This work is one of several made by Breton, his second wife Jacqueline Lamba, and Yves Tanguy, while on a weekend holiday together in February 1938. However, this piece might have been made collaboratively rather than by folding the paper to hide the previous contribution, since there are no fold lines on the paper.© ARS, NY and DACS, London 2004

Le Déclin de la société bourgeoisie

National Galleries of Scotland

André Breton - about 1935 - 1940. Best known as a writer and leader of the Surrealist movement, André Breton was, by his own admission, not a gifted artist. However he did experiment with techniques which required a minimum of skill, such as collages and boxed constructions including poems. In this collage he has combined printed material in a humorous and anarchic manner. The Surrealists were committed to the overthrow of bourgeois values and systems, so the phrase pasted onto the picture turns this rare collage into a Bretonian prophecy. It is similar in spirit to the collages of Max Ernst, suggesting a date of the mid to late 1930s for the piece.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2006

Poème Objet [Poem-Object]

National Galleries of Scotland

André Breton - 1935. Breton's personal contribution to surrealist art was his fusion of poetry and object in his 'Poème-Objet' constructions. Although not an artist himself, he was eager to explore any technique that required minimum artistic skill, such as the collages and assemblages. In 1924, Breton called for the creation of objects seen in dreams. He made about a dozen of his own assemblages in the 1930s and early 1940s, calling them 'Poème-Objets'. The text on the plaster egg in this work translates as 'I see / I imagine' and the poem beneath is deliberately cryptic.© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2004

Air Support Unit, Strathclyde Police

National Galleries of Scotland

Jane Brettle - 2006. This photograph was commissioned as part of a series titled ‘Force’, documenting the diverse roles which constitute Scotland’s police force. The Air Support Unit provides aerial support to territorial divisions in the Strathclyde Police area and it currently operates the only police helicopter service in Scotland. The unit covers an area of 5,348 square miles, a population of two and a half million people, and a coastline of over 4,000 miles. All crew members volunteer for the job and must maintain competency in fire-fighting, first aid, underwater escape training and a variety of other skills. Any police officer is at liberty to request aerial support and the unit regularly responds to requests from police forces outside the Strathclyde area.© Jane Brettle

Chief Constable Norma Graham, Fife Constabulary

National Galleries of Scotland

Jane Brettle - 2006. This photograph was commissioned as part of a series titled ‘Force’, documenting the diverse roles of Scotland’s police force. It shows a behind-the-scenes view of police work. Instead of a firearm, Norma Graham’s weapon is a fountain pen, highlighting her role in setting the strategic direction of policing in Fife. It was taken when Norma was Deputy Chief Constable, but in July 2008 she was appointed Chief Constable of Fife Constabulary. She is Scotland's first female Chief Constable. During the sitting, Brettle observed that Norma said ‘we’ rather than ‘I’, fitting since she described her role as “building bridges with different communities”. The hat, featured in the background, shows her rank within the police force in its decorative silver braid.© Jane Brettle

Fahima, Katy, Clare : Newcastle, 1999; The Three Graces : Le Grazie, Antonio Canova, 1815 - 17 : the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh 1999 from the series 'Restoration Works'

National Galleries of Scotland

Jane Brettle - 2000. By showing these Newcastle girls next to Antonio Canova's three graces, Jane Brettle wants to challenge our notions of femininity. We can't help asking a set of complementary questions: Is spotless marble more appealing than the skin of ordinary women? Do the perfect bodies of the graces have any character at all compared to the three girls whose strong individuality the photographer captures so well? How can three completely naked bodies say so little about women, and three casually dressed girls tell so much?© Jane Brettle

Firearms Support Unit, Lothian and Borders Police O Division

National Galleries of Scotland

Jane Brettle - 2006. Commissioned as part of a series titled ‘Force’, documenting the diverse roles of Scotland’s police force, this photograph shows the Firearms Support Unit. It has five specialised support functions and is responsible for attending all incidents involving the criminal use of firearms in the Lothian and Borders area. The Tactical Firearms Unit has in excess of 100 firearms officers. The Armed Response Vehicle Unit has two vehicles that are manned around the clock. The Airport Security Unit provides armed cover at Edinburgh Airport. The Security and Protection Unit offers protection to VIPs. The Operational Training Unit consists of qualified instructors who provide firearms training. Each instructor has an area of expertise and they give advice to commanders dealing with armed incidents.© Jane Brettle

Inspector Graham Gibb MBE, Operational Support Division, Grampian Police

National Galleries of Scotland

Jane Brettle - 2006. Inspector Graham Gibb has completed thirty-one years service with Grampian Police. He has twenty-seven years mountain rescue experience, including twenty years as leader of the joint Grampian Police and Braemar Mountain Rescue Team. In 1996 he was honoured with an MBE for his services to mountain rescue. Over the years Graham has developed a personal interest in the behaviour of missing people and is now a leading expert in the field. There are fourteen officers in the Grampian Rescue Team and they have responsibility for some 500 square miles of mountainous terrain, including the Cairngorms National Park. This photograph was commissioned as part of a series titled ‘Force’, which reflects the breadth of activities that the Police service is involved with in Scotland.© Jane Brettle

Lockerbie Air Disaster Investigation Officers, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary

National Galleries of Scotland

Jane Brettle - 2006. On 21 December 1988 Libyan terrorists blew up Pan Am Flight 103 causing the death of 270 people. Major parts of the debris landed in Lockerbie. This photograph was commissioned as part of a series titled ‘Force’, which reflects the breadth of activities that the Police service is involved with in Scotland. It shows Detective Chief Inspector Michael Dalgleish, Detective Constable Karen Rice, PC Rolf Buwert and Tom Gordon, all of whom were involved in the aftermath and investigation into the disaster. Poignantly, this image was taken in The Chapel of Remembrance, where the book of remembrance for the victims sits. The four police officers look uncomfortable and there is a sense of sorrow in their eyes - the horror of the events they were witness to over the last eighteen years is tangible.© Jane Brettle