Edinburgh Association for the Promotion of the Fine Arts
Other names: Royal Association for the Promotion of Fine Arts, Art Union of Scotland for the Promotion of the Fine Arts
Foundation date: 1833
Dissolution date: 1897
1851
Function: Promotion of art, a lottery
Policy: Aimed to foster a Scottish School of painting mainly by keeping Scottish artists at home through the purchase and distribution of works.
Rules: The Society issued shares for one guinea each and was run by a committee of 15.
Meeting schedule: annual
History or description: This institution and the Art Union in Liverpool were the first associations to organize an annual lottery for the distribution and promotion of fine art.
Around 1842, it was under the patronage of HRH Prince Albert. Members came from the highest classes of Scottish society with the main inducement to join the chance to win a prize painting (usually from the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibitions). Benefits included the chance to view the Annual Exhibitions prior to the general public. The Association played a significant part in the in the establishment of a recognisable Scottish Scool of Painting.
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.
Owned Sir Walter Scott
1851
Associated People
Advisors included John Robert Steell
1833 (Circa)
Helped to devise the constitution with the aim of fostering a Scottish school of painting.
Citing this record
'Edinburgh Association for the Promotion 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=msib7_1206541993, accessed 30 Mar 2023]
