ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Front cover: Water sprite, WG Morton, We would like to thank the numerous Mr Andrew Pollock c1896 ministers, priests, session clerks, Ms Pamela Reekie Back cover: Rose window, St Andrew's Church officers and owners ofsecular Rev JA Riddell, TrinitY Jedburgh Church, Buenos Aires, Harrington Mann, glass throughoutScotland, who have Mrs Roy, Scott House c1896 allowed access to and permission to MrJohn Russell Title page: Aphrodite, Colearn House, photograph their stained glass, and Ruthven Towers Hotel, Auchterarder D Cottier, 1871-2 who have answered questions Mr Sax Shaw patiently. We would like to express our StaffofDumbarton Public Library, gratitude also to the following Edinburgh Public Libraries individualsand firms who have (Edinburgh Room and Fine Art contributed towards this exhibition: Library), the Mitchell Library (Glasgow Room), Old and West Mrs C Baillie Register House and Strathclyde Rev AS Blount, Springbum Parish Regional Archives Rev JK Blount, Linthouse Parish Dr John Stewart Caimdhu Hotel, Helensburgh Mrs Mary Newbery Sturrock Mr JB cameron Mr Charles Summers Mr frances Christie and Staff, Guthrie MrWiIliam Valleley & Wells (Decorators) Ltd MrGordon Webster Coleam Hotel, Auchterarder MrsDunn Elm Bank Hotel, York Ms Anne Escott Mr Joe Fisher Miss Gallotti, Buenos Aires MissWCHall MrMartin Harrison MrWilliam Harvey MrBilIHood Mr Neil Hutcheson Mrs L f Jacobsen Mr John Kraska Messrs John McCormick & Co MessrsMcCulloch & Co Mrs McDonald MrRonald Mcfadzean tl Mr A MacLaurin ....0'1 Ms Sadie.Maciellan .:.... Mr Marcus McLundie <"l U Messrs James PMcPhie U Mr David McRae ILl -, Mrs Manchester, Baillie's Library ~ MrDavid Martin l: ~ MrJDMartin ~GlasgowMuseums and ArtGalleries 1981 0. u Rev Gordon C Morris, Buenos Aires Published by Glasgow Museums ~ MrsNan Muir and Art Galleries Messrs Nicholson &. Jacobsen, ISBN 0 902752 12X ~--- Architects Reprinted 1985 by Smith Brothers IKilmarnock) Ltd. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The rediscovery ofthe secrets ofthe authorities ofthe unique qualities of INTRODUCTION mediaeval artofstained glass in early this important part ofour hitherto THE PIONEERS Victorian times has been the subject of neglected national heritage. We also DANIEL COTTIER much research and investigation in hope that it will create a renewed STEPHEN ADAM recent years. However. a general awareness among the architectural J &. W GUTHRIE prejudice against 19thcentury stained profession and their clients ofthe GEORGE WALTON &. CO glass still prevails and many fine potential ofstained glass as an WM MEIKLE &. CO windows have been and continue to architectural medium. OSCAR PATERSON be destroyed orremoved as'old A greatdeal ofresearch and HUGH McCULLOCH fashioned' or 'inferior'. recording remains to be done and in GLASGOW SCHOOLor ART Itis true thatin the early days ofthe this booklet only a cross section ofthe JOHNCHALL Gothic revival the slavish copying of finest work produced has been STEPHEN ADAM JR &. ALF WEBSTER early models and the adoption of presented. Moreover, the artists and SOURCES factory methods ofproduction often designs ofmany smaller mid and late resulted in badly designed, unimagina­ 19thcentury Glasgow studios have tive prodUCts. However, as the century yet to be identified and therefore this Le~n~ Extract. from on TRVTHI IN progressed and new and betterquality accountmust be regarded as a first DiECOMHVlE ART: DIS~~ glasses became available, many fine instalmentofa work in progress. STA[NE[)} GlASS, M[[}ll'fVAll... windows were produced which, AND MODERN. although different in style and lRy SnlPlHIIEN AD approach, often equal the finest products ofmediaeval times. In this + important movement in the decorative arts, the city ofGlasgow played a large and conspicuousrole, produdng between 1870and 1914some oftne finest ecclesiastical and domestic stained glass in Europe. In spite ofthe grievous losses incurred by the comprehensive redevelopment schemes ofthe 1960s ,1 and 1970s the city still retains a greater proportion ofits church and domestic glass than any other city in Britain. In orderto record adequately and preserve this unique heritage, the I staffofthe People's Palace launched a programme ofresearch and rescue I which in two years has led to the ~. creation ofa large permanent ! collection ofglass and art work r representing many ofthe early studios. The cream ofthis collection has now been cleaned and restored and forms the basis ofourcurrent I exhibition. We hope that it will I stimulate a new appreciation by the ! general public and the various church ..._---------------- THE PIONEERS The Gothic revival in architecture of slab boy to David Roberts when the glass ofall periods within reach ofthe the 18405 and 18505was principally future Royal Academician was the reading public for the first time. Within an English phenomenon. In Scotland Scenic Artist in the Theatre Royal.2 a few months ofpublication Winston the neo~c1assicistsstill dominated in During the 1820she learned the cralt emerged from comparative obscurity architectural circles and built the ofglass painting-probably in an to become the leading authority on the majority ofchurches and public English studio-and in 1837 launched sUbject. Almost inevitably many ofthe buildings. Likewise in the same period his own firm in Carrubers Close off High less imaginative stained glass firms Scotland's contribution to Street. In 1845 he pUblished a slim were content to use his work solely as contemporary efforts to rediscover volume entitled A Treatise on Painted a pattern book from which to extract the secrets ofthe mediaeval artof Glass in which he advocated the use of appropriate specimens as the need stained glass was very limited. stained glass jn domestic interiors and arose. Moreover Winston declared The reason for this is not hard to criticised the slavish and strongly in favour ofthe intricate seek; the extreme violence ofthe indiscriminate copying ofmediaeval painterly style ofthe 15th century. In Reformation had destroyed Scotland'5 glass..3 Ballantine's own studio style of England his views were strongly mediaeval stained glass heritage the time, although severely restricted challenged by the powerfuljournal The ahnost completely and the Calvinist by the poor quality ofthe avaiJabie Ecclesiologist in which the reviewers revulsion against 'idolatry' and 'graven glasses, was firmly based on an pointed out the dangers inherent in images' ensured that there would be enlightened reinterpretation ofthe applying too rigidly the techniques of no rush to replace it in the turbulent lively glass-painting styles ofthe 15th the easel painter to glass. 71n Scotland centuries which followed. However, by century.4 Many outstanding artists however, Winston's opinions not only the end ofthe 18th century the heroic r~ceived their training in his studio, went unchallenged butreceived age ofarchaeoiogy had already including francis Wilson Oliphant support in architectural circles, with begun, and a general interest in what (1818-59). who later became a disastrous results. survived ofthe mediaeval past was designer for William Wailes, and Prior to 1865 our knowledge of greatly stimulated by the historical executed many commissions for the Glasgow's role in the revival ofstained novels ofWalter Scott and the neo· greatarchitect ofthe Gothic revival in glass remains limited and Gothick buildings ofRobert and England, AWN Pugin.5 ln spite ofthe fragmentary. The reason for this is James Adam. 1 achievements ofthe Ballantine studio, depressingiy clear. At a very The Waverley novels, one ofthe the lack ofany easily accessible conservative estimate Glasgow has inspirations for the romantic examples ofmediaeval glass was a lostat least300 churches ofall movement in European literature, also real deterrentto the resurrection of denominations since 1900. The became a catalyst for a new school of the cralt outside the capital. destructive operations ofthe compre" historical and genre painters ofwhom Ballantine's own small booklet had hensive redevelopment programmes the mostnotable were William Noel been acourageous ifinadequate ofthe 1950s, 60s and 70s have ~een Paton and David Wilkie. Scott also attempt to supply some basic entire ~ommunitiesuprooted and their assembled in his own Gothick information on the subject. institutions eradicated. The resulting mansion Abbotsford a great treasure With the publication in 1847 of loss notonly ofearly glass but also of house ofmediaeval sculpture·in the Charles Winston's monumental two studio premises and records makes it form ofcasts retrieved from the volume study ofstyle in mediaeval highly unlikely that the gap in our battered remains ofScotland's ruined glass painting, the vacuum was at last knOWledge will ever be filled cathedrals and abbeys. However, it filled,6Winston (1814-65). an English satisfactorily. was notuntil the formation ofthe barrister, had travelled throughout Ofthe handful offirms which Edinburgh firm ofBaliantine & Alian in England from 1830making a series of advertised as glass stainers between 1837 that the revival ofScottish carefully executed drawings of 1828and 1865 only three atpresent stained glass properly began. surviving mediaeval glass. These seem to have been ofany consequence. Born in Edinburgh in 1808, James illustrations, when published as a These are William Cairney &. Sons Ballantine trained first as a house· companion volume to his text, placed (1828-77). Hugh Bogie & Co (1850-65) painter, and for a time he worked as- a complete cross section