Details

Object type

painting

Title

Head of the Holy Loch

Artist/Maker

George Henry artist

Culture/School

Glasgow Boys

Place Associated

Scotland, Holy Loch (place depicted)

Date

1882

Materials

oil on canvas

Dimensions

framed: 788 x 1098 x 80 mm; unframed: 591 mm x 895 mm

Description

This landscape by George Henry (1858–1943) of the Holy Loch in Argyllshire was bequeathed by James Lindsay in 1914. Lindsay was an architect from Glasgow whose work consisted mainly of local large commercial buildings. Although he rarely won major commissions, he regularly just missed out on the top awards.

He was born on 10th May 1857 at 93 High Street, Glasgow to William Lindsay, victualler, and Mary Duncan. James was educated at St James parish School and Glasgow High School. He was articled to the firm of Peat and Duncan for five years, followed by three years as draughtsman, during which time he studied at Glasgow School of Art where he won the Royal Institute of British Architects Silver Medal in 1876.

He set up on his own at 196 St Vincent Street (where he also lived) in 1880. In the following year he submitted an entry for the new City Chambers in Glasgow. This is described as ‘a Mannerist Hotel de Ville with a roman temple front, huge angle mansards and a graeco-roman tower which bears a striking, and more refined and satisfying, resemblance to that of William Young’s winning design'. At this time he had become friends with James Sellars and in 1883 he was admitted as Associate of RIBA, having been proposed by John Honeyman, James Audsley and John Burnet.

Among his many architectural commissions were various schools including Wellshot Secondary in Tollcross, Glasgow sausage works, Possil Iron Works in 1889, Kames Free Church on Bute in 1898. He also competed for the design of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in 1891. In 1884 he was awarded £600 premium for plans for the new Admiralty and War Office in Whitehall, although he failed to secure the job. Occasionally he designed private houses including 233 Nithsdale Road for Mr Alex Massey, described in ‘Buildings of Glasgow’ as ‘remotely Jacobean with a repulsive red rock-faced finish’.

James moved to 11 Moray Place in 1896, a terrace architecturally sympathetic to the neighbouring Alexander 'Greek' Thomson terrace, although with some typical Victorian features of the period.

Recognition came at last in winning the competition to design Netherton Institute (public baths and library) in Dumfermline and he was engaged in the project at the time of his death, which was finished posthumously. Although recognized as a talented architect who often came second best in competitions, it is ironic that success came at the end of his life.

He married Jessie Millar Black at 48 Caledonia Street, Paisley in 1883 and had six children (three boys and three girls). James Junior also became an architect and continued his father’s business, at age 22, at 248 West George Street when James Senior died in 1914.

Credit Line/Donor

Bequeathed by James Lindsay, 1914

ID Number

1355

Location

Kelvingrove Scottish Art