The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts
Other names: RGI, The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (pre-1896)
Foundation date: 29 May 1861
Active: 1861 -
Function: Art society
Policy: The aims of the Institute were:
1) To diffuse among the classes a taste for art generally, and more especially for contemporary Art, to further the diffusion of Artistic and Aesthetic knowledge, and to aid the study, advancement, of art in its applications.
2) To purchase and hold heritable property for the Institute and to sell the same.
3) To construct, alter and maintain any buildings for the purposes of the Institute.
4) To invest the moneys of the Institute.
5) To borrow money, if and when needed determined by the Council.
(Abridged from the 1879 Memorandum of Association)
Rules: 1) The number of Ordinary and Extraordinary Members not to exceed 1500. An Ordinary Membership costs £10, and Extraordinary Membership costs £25 (c.1914). All Members elected by the council at the Annual Meeting.
2) Exhibitions of all Works of Art to be established and encouraged.
3) Works of Art may be purchased by the Association.
4)Provision of an Art library.
5) Lectures on Art and Conversazzioni provided.
6) Grants of money made available to deserving artists and their families in times of need.
7) Exhibitions of Art Manufacturers and of Decorative Art.
8) Admission charges for Exhibitions, Lectures and Conversazzioni.
Meeting schedule: biennial
History or description: Formed in response to the lack of an annual exhibiting society in the West of Scotland. Of the establishing committee, roughly half were artists (including Glasgow sculptor John Mossman), the other half local businessmen. The first annual exhibitions were hugely successful, especially due to it's inclusive policy on reduced entry prices for the working classes.
In 1896, in recognition of the Institute's achievements, Queen Victoria granted it a Royal Charter.
Much of the the Institute's profits went into the building of new premises, which housed not only the annual exhibitions but smaller curated exhibitions throughout the year. Due to the running costs of this, the Institute decided to sell its own premises and revert to its original hire of the McLellan Galleries, which was now more available due to the opening of the then new Corporation Art Gallery at the Kelvingrove. The division of laymen and artists in the council, the effects of the war and the establishment of smaller progressive artists groups and clubs and aesthetic censorship cemented the Institute's growing reputation in the early 20th century as a complacent and conservative enclave dominated by academic painters. Since the 1950's, the council has actively encouraged the practice of inviting artists from outside the west of Scotland and the encouragement of young contemporary artists as it did in the first fifty years of its successful existence.
Activities: art union, conversazione, exhibitions (members only), lectures, lectures on art, musical entertainments, musical evenings
Publications: annual reports, exhibition catalogues, illustrated exhibition catalogues, illustrated guide, illustrated souvenirs, reports
Benefits: advice from fellow members, criticism of work by fellow members, eligible for awards, eligible for exhibition, entry in member's directory, free entry to exhibitions, grants and prizes, guaranteed inclusion in exhibitions, participation in all events, prizes, use of library, use of society's premises, hardship fund
Composition: architects, corresponding members, men and women members, professional artists, professional painters, professional portrait painters, professional sculptors, lay members, working artists
Funding types: annual subscription, annual subscription professional artists, annual subscription corresponding members, art union, bequests, catalogue sales, donations, exhibition entry fees, investments, joining fee, sales commission
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited due to a lack of evidence about the state, medium or edition shown.
Purchased A Greek dancer
1914
Locations
Address 175 Sauchiehall Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1880 (Circa)
p. 158
Built gallery at Institute Galleries 175 Sauchiehall Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1879 - 1902
This building was eventually badly damaged in a fire and demolished in the 1970's
Held an exhibition at Kelvingrove Art Galleries Glasgow Scotland | View on map
Held an exhibition at McLellan Galleries 270 Sauchiehall Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1861 - 1950 (Circa)
With a gap from 1879 to 1902, when the Institute had its own galleries.
Meeting room at 49 West George Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1911 (Circa) - 1915 (Circa)
Office located at 75 West Nile Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1871 (Circa)
Office located at 65 Bath Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1879 (Circa)
Office located at Corporation Galleries Sauchiehall Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1883 (Circa)
Office located at Institute Galleries 175 Sauchiehall Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1890 (Circa)
Office located at 270 Sauchiehall Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1911 (Circa)
Office located at 128 Wellington Street Glasgow Scotland | View on map
1943 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Courses, Meetings and other Events
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Eighty-Second Annual Exhibition, 1943
2 October 1943 - 15 January 1944
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Fifty-First Annual Exhibition, 1912
1912
Organized Exhibition of Works of Living Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1863
Organized Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1867
Organized Tenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1871
Organized Fourteenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1875
Organized Eighteenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1879
Organized Jubilee Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1911
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Fifty-Fourth Annual Exhibition, 1915
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Fifty-Eighth Annual Exhibition, 1919
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Sixty-Second Annual Exhibition, 1923
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Sixty-Sixth Annual Exhibition, 1927
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventieth Annual Exhibition, 1931
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventy-Fourth Annual Exhibition, 1935
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventy-Eighth Annual Exhibition, 1939
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Eighty-Seventh Annual Exhibition, 1948
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Ninetieth Annual Exhibition, 1951
Organized The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, 1861-1951
Institutional and Business Connections
Affiliated with The Glasgow School of Art Club
1893
p. 21
Students had work accepted and exhibited for the Annual Exhibitions
Allied with The Art Union of the Institute of the Fine Arts, Glasgow
1884 (Circa)
Associated with The Glasgow School of Art
1898 (Circa)
Members included David Laidlaw
1871 (Circa)
Ordinary Member (Iron Founder)
Paid membership subscription to Walter Macfarlane & Co.
1871 (Circa)
Extraordinary Member (subscribed the highest amount of £25 upwards)
Associated People
Honorary members included Frederic Leighton
1879 (Circa)
Members included William Brodie
1879 (Circa)
Ordinary Member
Members of council included John Mossman
1864 (Circa)
Treasurer
Members of council included James Pittendrigh MacGillivray
1890 (Circa) - 1893
Members of council included James Barr
1951 (Circa)
Members of council included Alexander Proudfoot
1951 (Circa)
Received membership subscription from James Pittendrigh MacGillivray
1880 (Circa) - 1930 (Circa)
Received membership subscription from Benno Schotz
1910 (Circa)
Received resignation from James Pittendrigh MacGillivray
November 1893
Resigned due to his inability to attend meetings, his resignation was accepted with regret.
Descriptions of Business or Institution
Listed in The Dictionary of Scottish Art and Architecture
p. 488
Sources
Annual Exhibition (Jubilee) Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1911
1911
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1863
October 1863
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1867
February 1867
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1871
1871
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1875
1875
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1879
1879
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1883
1883
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1887
1887
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1890-1891
1890
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1895
1895
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1900
1900
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1903
1903
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1907
1907
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1915
1915
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1919
1919
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1923
1923
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1927
1927
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1931
1931
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1935
1935
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1939
1939
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1948
1948
Annual Exhibition Catalogue for The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1951
1951
Memorandum and Articles of Association, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1913
22 February 1913
Minute Books: The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1861-1951
The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, Catalogue, 1943
1943
Citing this record
'The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib6_1220372775, accessed 21 Sep 2023]