The Story of Scottish Art

by Lachlan Goudie

This is the fascinating story of how Scotland has defined itself through its art over the past 5,000 years, from the earliest enigmatic Neolithic symbols etched onto the landscape of Kilmartin Glen to Glasgow’s position as a center of artistic innovation today. BBC TV broadcaster and artist Lachlan Goudie passionately narrates the joys and struggles of artists striving to fulfill their vision and the dramatic transformations of Scottish society reflected in their art.


The Story of Scottish Art is beautifully illustrated with diverse works from Scotland’s long tradition of bold creativity: Pictish carved stones and Celtic metalwork, Renaissance palaces and chapels, paintings of Scottish life and landscapes by Horatio McCulloch, David Wilkie, the Glasgow Boys, and Joan Eardley; designs by master architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh; and collage and sculpture by pop art pioneer Eduardo Paolozzi. Through Scotland’s remarkable artistic history, Goudie tells the story of a small country with an extraordinary creative output that influenced significant global movements, such as art nouveau and pop art, while constantly redefining its own practices.

Genres: Art, History, Nonfiction, Scotland

376 pages, Hardcover

First published May 26, 2020

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugely entertaining and fascinating, although more so for the early story than the later, post 1970s one. Lachlan Goudie's enthusiasm, knowledge and immersion evident on every page.

[David Kintore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book, beautifully written, full of interesting insights into the history of Scotland as a country as well as its art.

[Martin Pilkington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember watching and enjoying the tv series that generated this book. So when I saw this for sale in the Aberdeen Art Gallery I couldn’t resist buying it.

The book takes the story of Scottish Art from 3000BC through to around 2010 and name checks a great many Scottish Artists, when their names are known. Fir me it’s a book to read with a tablet close by so you can look at even more examples of the pictures and sculptures produced by the artists discussed.

If you are interested in a starter text to get to know the names and work of Scottish artists this is a must.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story begins with marks on stone found on Kilmartin Glen, presumably made by humans 5000 years ago. From there author, Lachlan Goudie, takes the reader to the present, primarily through a chronological presentation of the biographies of significant artists.

For most artists there is enough personal information to give the reader an idea of his/her character and/or circumstance. For each there is at least one example of their work; for the most significant artists there are a few reproductions.

While acquainting the reader with Scottish art history, Goudie presents historical info that is unknown and/or lesser known in the US. Here are some new, to me, items:

---- The author credits the monks who traveled to the Island of Iona with St. Columba (who is credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland), with creating the Book of Kells at the monastery they founded on this Scottish island.

--- Jacobites strategized the taking the English throne well into the mid 18th century. Portraiture was part of their propaganda and creating it helped support young artists, some who had fled to Rome, inclusive of a female artist: Katherine Read.

---“The Glasgow Boys” in the late 1800’s rebelled against formal painting and introduced more realism such as pictures of farmer’s daughters (i.e. with cabbages and geese) and Glasgow’s industrial skyline.

--- One of the longest bios is that of Charles Rennie MacIntosh who, along with his also creative wife had many ups and downs. The author calls him “the only genius in the story of Scottish art” and puts him on par with Frank Lloyd Wright and Antoni Gaudi.

--- The British government sent artists to document WWII. Scottish artist, Doris Clare Zinkeisen, was one of the first to enter the Bergen-Belsen camp where she sketched the horrors.

Many great paintings are reproduced here. If pressed to name my favorites they are:

p. 126. Alan Ramsay 1737-39. Self Portrait
p. 130. Alan Ramsay 1739. Mrs. Allen Ramsey - Portrait
p. 142 Katherine Read. 1750 British gentlemen in an animated discussion
p.159 Henry Rayburn 1803-13 Francis MacNab -a gentlemen in full Scottish attire
pp. 200-201 photographs by David Octavious Hill & Thomas Annan
pp.224-225 Baghdad street scenes 1882 & 1883 by Arthur Melville
p. 285 sculpture with artist Alice Meredith Williams 1923
p.360 Alexander Goudie (the author’s father) family portrait 1976

The book has Notes, an Index (that works well), a bibliography for “Further Reading” and picture credits listed by page.

Thames and Hudson has created another book that is a work of art in itself. The selection of paper, type and each page’s design are carefully planned.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in this topic.

[Boyce McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am of Irish and Scottish stock. My ancestors came to the new world to make a better life for themselves.
My Scottish heritage is evident in my life. Ask my wife. I’m frugal (some people would say cheap), quick with a joke, jovial, imaginative, artistic and above all-proud of my heritage.

Author Lacklan Goudie and publisher Thames & Hudson explore and trace the impressive history of Scottish art dating back almost 5,000 years in The Story Of Scottish Art.

Inside this very comprehensive and fact-filled book, tinged with folk lore, is the story of how the Scottish people first put chisel to stone, brush to canvas, wove fabrics, crafted pottery, penned literature and crafted jewelry and other objects of art.

But, this book is more than a collection of photos of art. It contains the history of a proud and headstrong people whose contributions to art, architecture, engineering, worship and more has helped shaped not just Scotland but the entire world.

As I read each page and looked over each photos I couldn’t help but be proud of my Scottish blood-much of which had been spilled by my ancestors in the past during wars and conflicts.

This book makes me determined more than ever to visit my ancestral homeland and walk the same hills, valleys and land my ancestors tread so long ago.

I want to search out my kin that still live in Scotland and perhaps connect with them. It would be interested to see if they are as ‘frugal’ and stubborn as I am.

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a readable, stimulating and well illustrated book. Even if you have read other works on the history of Scottish art this has such verve to it and highlights some lesser-known artists in a way that complements rather than simply rehashes what others have said. And Goudie’s personal touch, which could have been self-indulgent, is engaging. Altogether a great addition to the books which seek to get to the heart of Scottish art.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable as a light history of Scotland and a light overview of art trends. Found it interesting how many "Scottish" artists were expats either living in Scotland or Scots living abroad.
Not as many reproduced art works as I would have expected from a book about Scottish artists, but the things that were reproduced are well curated.

[Amy]

Lovely little book! Gives a rapid-fire timeline of the art of this little section of a little island. Once it gets to about 500 years ago it reads like dozens of mini biographies which I actually quite enjoyed. Fun to encounter entrancing works I'd never seen before

[Olga Vannucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

From cup and ring marks,
Millennia of Scottish art,
Not all a world apart.

[Craig Smillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always good to get an artist rather than a critic talking about painting.
They KNOW how pictures are made.