The MacKinnon Collection of Scottish photography was recently acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland and is shared by both institutions. In this talk, Curator Blake Milteer provides an introduction to the collection and discusses its representation of Scottish life and identity from the 1840s through the 1940s – a century of dramatic transformation and innovation.

This collection, originally amassed by Murray MacKinnon, is distinguished by the work of photographers who captured unprecedented images that brilliantly transport us back to a century of changing rural communities, growing cities and enduring historic sites, but also illuminate the faces and places that continue to affect our lives today.

This talk, which was recorded in April 2019, is approx. 21 minutes long, and can also be accessed via our Soundcloud profile (external website).

The images that Blake refers to during the talk are displayed below.