Hill Croft, Lochranza, Arran : Aberdeen City Art Gallery & Museum - Aberdeen

We have one watercolour in the collection by your father entitled, 'Hill Croft, Lochranza' c.1938, watercolour on buff paper, 37.2 cm, Width: 54.7 cm. This was bought by Aberdeen Art Gallery in 1938 from the Aberdeen Artist's Society who exhibit here on an annual basis. Your father exhibited two works as detailed below.

1937 195 Hill Croft, Lochranza
1937 273 Amaryllis

This is the extent of information we have on the owrk I am afraid. There is a small slip in our files that outlines biographical details.

Here are some details in case; watercolour 'Derelict Quarry' bought by the David Muirhead bequest for the permanent collection at the RSA. Exhibited at the SSA, RSW, RSA, RA, RGI, English Modern watercolour society - Canada - America.

I hope this is helpful.

Emily Hope Thomson, Assistant Keeper (Fine Art),
Aberdeen Art Galley, Aberdeen

My colleague Emilly has forwarded your enquiry about your father's painting. In principle it would be available for loan to a temporary exhibition. As soon as you have finalised the details of the show, you should make application in writing to Christine Rew who is the Officer in Charge of Museums and Galleries. We require a minimum of six months notice for loan requests and we limit the number of loans which we process each year so an early application is advisable.

Ann Steed, Assistant Keeper (Fine Art),
Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Church, Manse and Temple, Temple Village Edinburgh District Council's Education Dept's Schools' Collection, Edinburgh

Glad that we are able to assist on this occasion.

I thought that I might email you the image of the painting 'Church, Manse & Temple' which we currently hold in our collection and then you can decide how you wish to use it? As for future arrangements for the painting, we are looking to see what might be possible, but still have some practical matters to address.

Mary McGookin, Arts and Learning Manager,
City of Edinburgh Council, Children and Families Department

Derelict Quarry : Royal Scottish Academy - Edinburgh

I am glad that your website is up and running - it looks very impressive and you have obviously put lots of work into it. I am also glad that things are progressing with talks for an exhibition.

As you probably already know he exhibited at the annual exhibitions of the Royal Scottish Academy between 1932 and 1953. I regret that our catalogues were not illustrated at this point so I am unable to provide you with any images of his exhibited pieces. The watercolour that he exhibited at the RSA in 1933 Derelict Quarry was however purchased by the RSA for the collection.

The biographical information that you have provided on your father and his work is very comprehensive and will be useful for our files.

Nicola Ireland, Collections Assistant,
Royal Scottish Academy, The Dean Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland

Glen Sannox, Arran: Scottish Arts Club, 37 Rutland Square, Edinburgh

The painting is currently hanging in the Scottish Arts Club dining room. October 2007

Jim Dunbar

Autumn Scene : School for Scottish Studies (an Edinburgh University faculty), George Square, Edinburgh

Your father's painting, which hangs in our main office and gives us all a lot of pleasure. It was painted in 1932. You are most welcome to call in and see it. I will check to see if there is already a digital image of the painting you refer to in the university's collections database - there may be - and will alert those who curate the collections to your request. But I am sure there will be no problem at all and it will be interesting for us to know more about him.

Dr Margaret A Mackay, The School of Scottish Studies,
Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, Scotland

Evensong McManus Gallery & Museum, Dundee

Thanks for your email. We have retrieved 'Evensong' from store and will email you a jpeg shortly. 'Evensong' is quite an impressive picture, isn't it? Quite Vorticist!! I have just checked our Registration book. It was purchased in October 1947 for £55 from the annual RSW exhibition held in Edinburgh.It's in a very good quality Bourlet frame (the best) with a lot of fancy mount cutting work. Here are the dimensions of 'Evensong'by your father, Robert Scott Irvine. Image height = 27 3/4 inches / width 21 3/4 inches Frame = 101 cm high x 85 cm wide [39 3/4" x 33 1/2 inches]

Regarding the Dundee Courier's 1930 article on your grandfather's exhibition, I'm not sure what you mean? Do you already have the complete article or what? Do you know the date of the article? The Local History Library in Dundee will have either bound editions of the Dundee Courier or else have them on micro-fiche format. Please contact the librarian, Eileen Moran.

Clara Young, Heritage Officer (Art)
McManus Galleries & Museum, Albert Square, Dundee
Dundee City Council: Leisure and Communities Department

Watsonian Pavillion, 1973: Watsonian Club, Myreside, Edinburgh

Courtesy of Roy Mack and the Watsonian Club, Edinburgh