On Thursday, September 26th, the Paisley Art Institute made headlines with its sale of 97 paintings at the renowned auction house Lyon & Turnbull. The auction was a significant moment for the Institute and a dark day for Paisley, with several noteworthy works finding new owners and generating substantial funds.
The Highlights
Among the collection, the standout piece was a painting by Sir John Lavery, an esteemed Belfast-born artist who lived in Paisley from 1856 to 1941. This masterpiece proved to be the star of the auction, fetching a staggering £537,700, including commission, and becoming the highest-selling item of the evening.
It was during the early summer of 1889 Lavery returned to Paisley to make kit-kat sketches of dignitaries who had been invited to the reception held for The State Visit of Queen Victoria to the Glasgow International Exhibition in the previous year. These tiny portraits would come together with 250 others in a large commemorative canvas depicting the event (Glasgow Museums). His year had begun in a flurry of travel arrangements and studio appointments. By the late Spring the project was well underway. Lavery had just returned from Darmstadt where he had painted the portrait of Princess Alix of Hesse (Private Collection), and other members of the royal retinue, when the short trip from Glasgow to Paisley took place. A visit, however brief, could not be made without calling upon friends in the town where he had staged his first solo exhibition in 1886. Principally these were members of the Fulton family who, on one particular day, had taken their daughter, Alice, to the local tennis club.
While the girl is omitted from the present canvas, both small oil sketches produced in preparation for it include her, while focussing upon the figure group at the right of the composition. A note in the minutes of Paisley Art Institute in 1915 identifies the women taking afternoon tea as Mrs William MacKean and Mrs Archibald Coats of Woodside, while the lady in the background wearing a red shawl was Mrs Stewart Clark of Filnside. The three tennis players, glimpsed through blossoming trees are Nina Fullerton, Hugh Macfarlane and the watercolourist, Alexander Balfour McKechnie. The note concludes by describing the present work as ‘an excellent example of the artist’s earlier “Impressionist” style’, implying that, as with the preparatory sketches, it was completed on the spot. The spot, the original Paisley lawn tennis club in Garthland Place, is likely to have been sited on land partly occupied by the Abercorn Bowling Club, close to the railway line.
Lawn tennis was, by 1889, approaching the height of its popularity. Invented by Major Clopton Wingfield in 1874, with the unappealing name, ‘Sphairistike’, it quickly replaced croquet as a middle-class pastime when boxed sets of essential equipment went on the market. For the fashion-conscious factory-owners of Paisley, as the present canvas confirms, it provided the ideal theatre for social rivalries. For the artist however, in the midst of a year when time was measured in end-on appointments, dropping into the Paisley Lawn Tennis Club was a moment of delight. One had only to open a little pochade box or erect a lightweight tripod easel for the picture to come to him, unbidden. Lavery would later describe such moments as ones that brought him to ‘concert pitch’. These were times when in an elysian garden of women, the scene composed itself if you were quick enough to grasp its essence. In the present instance, there was no hesitation.
The Overall Success
In total, the auction proved to be an extraordinary success for the Paisley Art Institute. Including commission fees, the combined sales of the 97 paintings amounted to an impressive £1,445,723. Some paintings from the collection are set to be sold privately, and not every painting met its reserve price. Nonetheless, the sale represents a significant boost to the Institute’s resources, potentially enabling them to further their mission of supporting and promoting the arts and expanding the Glasgow base at Paisley’s expense.
This auction demonstrates the continued appreciation and value of the Paisley Art Institute’s collection, showcasing the enduring appeal of artists like Sir John Lavery and the ongoing demand for high-quality artworks, with no doubt another sale when funds run low again.
01. JAMES RIDDEL A.R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1857-1928) A FROSTY MORNING NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE LUGAR, MAUCHLINE. £1,197
02. ROBERT MACAULAY STEVENSON R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1854-1952) WOODED RIVER LANDSCAPE AT DUSK £5,040
03. MARK WILLIAM FISHER R.A. (BRITISH-AMERICAN 1841-1923) LANDSCAPE WITH SHEEP £1,134
04. ANDREW LAW (SCOTTISH 1873-1967) FAN-TAILS £4,032
05. WILLIAM YORK MACGREGOR R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1855-1923) NETHY BRIDGE £7,560
06 WILLIAM BARR (SCOTTISH 1867-1933) CALVES £1,386
07. DAVID FARQUHARSON A.R.A., A.R.S.A., R.S.W., R.O.I. (SCOTTISH 1839-1907) RETURN FROM THE FIELDS £1,071
08. JOHN ROBERT KEITLEY DUFF R.I., R.E. (SCOTTISH 1862-1938) RETURNING FROM PASTURE £479
09 DAVID GAULD R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1865-1936) FARM SCENE £2,016
10. ROBERT MCGOWN COVENTRY A.R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1855-1941) BY THE LOCHSIDE £1,386
11. LOUIS ADOLPHE HERVIER (FRENCH 1818-1879) ST GERMAIN £605
12. FRANÇOIS PIETER TER MEULEN (DUTCH 1843-1927) HOME FROM THE FIELDS £1,386
13. WILLEM DE ZWART (DUTCH 1862-1931) THE TIMBER WAGON £378
14. JAMES WHITELAW HAMILTON R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1860-1932) GLEN FRUIN £3,276
15.ROBERT GEMMELL HUTCHISON R.B.A., R.O.I., R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1860-1936) DORA AND MARY £UNSOLD
16.WILLIAM STEWART (SCOTTISH 1823-1906) THE DOMINIE £4,410
17. JOSEPH DENOVAN ADAM R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1842-1896) CROSSING THE FORD £2,016
18. JOHANNES HUBERTUS LEONARDUS DE HAAS (DUTCH 1832-1908) LANDSCAPE WITH COW AND CALVES £1,386
19. GEORGE HOUSTON R.S.A., R.S.W., R.I. (SCOTTISH 1869-1947) THE COMING OF WINTERSold for £4,788
20. EDWARD ARTHUR WALTON R.S.A., P.R.S.W., H.R.W.S. (SCOTTISH 1860-1922) CHANCE ENCOUNTER Sold for £8,190
21. EDWARD ARTHUR WALTON R.S.A., P.R.S.W., H.R.W.S (SCOTTISH 1860-1922) THE OAK AND THE ASH Sold for £18,900
22. EDWARD ARTHUR WALTON R.S.A., P.R.S.W., H.R.W.S. (SCOTTISH 1860-1922) THE LONE TREE Sold for £6,048
23. GEORGE ARTHUR FRIPP (BRITISH 1813-1896) KILCHURN CASTLE, LOCH AWE Sold for £819
24 HORATIO MCCULLOCH R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1805-1867) MY HEART IS IN THE HIGHLANDS Sold for £1,512
25 DAVID FORRESTER WILSON R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1873-1950) PASSING DAY Sold for £57,700
26. JAMES ELDER CHRISTIE (SCOTTISH 1847-1914) HALLOWE’EN Sold for £1,764
27. WILLIAM KENNEDY (SCOTTISH 1859-1918) REVERIE Sold for £1,197
28. JAMES ELDER CHRISTIE (SCOTTISH 1847-1914) SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME Sold for £3,780
29. SIR WILLIAM ALLAN R.A., P.R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1782-1850) BLIND HARRY RECITING THE DEEDS OF WALLACE Sold for £1,071
30. JAMES ELDER CHRISTIE (SCOTTISH 1847-1914) TAM O’SHANTER Sold for £1,197
31. FRANK MURA (AMERICAN 1861-c.1930) A BRITTANY FISH MARKET Sold for £945
32. CARLO ADEMOLLO (ITALIAN 1825-1911) GARIBALDI NEAR PALERMO Sold for £4,788
33. DAVID FOGGIE R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1878-1948) THE DRESSING TABLE Sold for £5,292
34. DAVID FOGGIE R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1878-1948) MOTHER AND CHILD Sold for £7,560
35. ROBERT MCGOWN COVENTRY A.R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1855-1941) PORTSOY HARBOUR Sold for £6,930
36. SIR GEORGE CLAUSEN R.A., R.W.S. (BRITISH 1852-1944) A RAINY SUNSET Sold for £756
37 SIR GEORGE CLAUSEN R.A., R.W.S. (BRITISH 1852-1944) COTTAGES AT NIGHT Sold for £693
38. ARTHUR MELVILLE A.R.S.A., R.S.W., A.R.S. (SCOTTISH 1855-1904) THE MOSQUE, EVENING Sold for £11,340
39. SAM FULTON (SCOTTISH 1855-1941) SPANIEL AND TERRIER Sold for £11,340
40. JAMES TORRANCE (SCOTTISH 1859-1916) THE GLEANERS £UNSOLD
41. JOHN MURRAY THOMSON R.S.A., R.S.W., S.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1885-1974) GOAT AND KIDS Sold for £454
42. SIR JAMES GUTHRIE P.R.S.A., H.R.A., R.S.W., L.L.D. (SCOTTISH 1859-1930) FIRELIGHT REFLECTIONS Sold for £21,420
43. SIR JAMES GUTHRIE P.R.S.A., H.R.A., R.S.W., L.L.D (SCOTTISH 1859-1930) THE STONEBREAKER Sold for £75,200
44. CHARLES-FRANÇOIS DAUBIGNY (FRENCH 1817-1878) FERME PRÈS DE VALMONDOIS Sold for £5,292
45. CHARLES-FRANÇOIS DAUBIGNY (FRENCH 1817-1878) PAYSAGE AU BORD DE L’OISE, ÎLE DE VAUX Sold for £8,820
46. REMOVED FOR PRIVATE SALE47. EUGÈNE LAVIEILLE (FRENCH 1820–1889) IN THE WOODS Sold for £1,134
48. FRANÇOIS PIETER TER MEULEN (DUTCH 1843-1927) OFF TO PASTURE Sold for £630
49. CHARLES-ÉMILE JACQUE (FRENCH 1813-1894) MEADOW PASTURES Sold for £1,638
50. FRIEDRICH ECKENFELDER (SWISS 1861-1938) WATERING HORSES Sold for £1,512
51. ANDREW DOUGLAS R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1870-1930) CATTLE RESTING Sold for £3,024
52. FRA HENRY NEWBERY R.W.A., A.R.C.A. (SCOTTISH 1855-1946) BRIDPORT WEAVING Sold for £5,544
53. ALEXANDER FRASER JNR R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1828-1899) THE OLD MILL, BARNCLUITH £UNSOLD
54. JOHN MACWHIRTER R.A., H.R.S.A., R.I., R.E. (SCOTTISH 1839-1911) AUTUMN AFTERNOON ON LOCH KATRINE Sold for £4,788
55. ARCHIBALD MCGLASHAN A.R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1888-1980) STILL LIFE WITH FRUIT Sold for £1,89056. ALFRED-FRANÇOIS GUÈS (FRENCH 1833-1908) A VASE WITH FLOWERS Sold for £5,04057. SIR DAVID MURRAY R.A., H.R.S.A., P.R.I., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1849-1933) THE BREATH OF AUTUMN £UNSOLD58. ANNA DIXON R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1873-1959) THE MARKET, CONCARNEAU Sold for £75659. NICO JUNGMAN (DUTCH 1872-1935) OUDE DELFT Sold for £2,01660. SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL FLINT P.R.A., P.R.W.S., R.S.W., R.O.I., R.E. (SCOTTISH 1880-1969) TENNIS ON THE SANDS Sold for £6,30061. DAVID FARQUHARSON A.R.A., A.R.S.A., R.S.W., R.O.I. (SCOTTISH 1840-1907) QUEEN’S VIEW, LOCH TUMMEL Sold for £2,77262. CIRCLE OF CARLO DOLCI THE EARTHLY TRINITY (CHRIST, THE VIRGIN MARY AND JOSEPH IN A LANDSCAPE) Sold for £4,03263. SIR JOSEPH NOEL PATON R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1821-1901) MICHELANGELO SCULPTING THE STATUE OF ‘NIGHT’ Sold for £47,70064. SIR JOHN LAVERY R.A., R.S.A., R.H.A., P.R.P., H.R.O.I., L.L.B. (IRISH 1856-1941) PAISLEY LAWN TENNIS CLUB Sold for £ 537,70065. SIR JOHN LAVERY R.A., R.S.A., R.H.A., P.R.P., H.R.O.I., L.L.B. (IRISH 1856-1941) WATERFALL, THE GLEN UNSOLD66. SIR JOHN LAVERY R.A., R.S.A., R.H.A., P.R.P., H.R.O.I., L.L.B. (IRISH 1856-1941) THE GLEN CONCERT UNSOLD
67. SIR JOHN LAVERY R.A., R.S.A., R.H.A., P.R.P., H.R.O.I., L.L.B. (IRISH 1856-1941) A ROUGH SEA Sold for £31,450
68. JOHN MACWHIRTER R.A., H.R.S.A., R.I., R.E. (SCOTTISH 1839-1911) A HIGHLAND DROVE ROAD £££UNSOLD
69. JOHN CRAWFORD WINTOUR A.R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1825-1882) GLOAMING ON THE EYE Sold for £1,638
70. JOHN DUNCAN R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1866-1945) MERLIN AND THE FAIRY QUEEN Sold for £6,048
71. JAMES KAY R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1858-1942) A CONTINENTAL STREET SCENE Sold for £5,554
72. STUART PARK (SCOTTISH 1862-1933) HYDRANGEA Sold at £3,276
73.JAMES BELL ANDERSON R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1886-1938) STILL LIFE
Sold at £2,14274. ROBERT WEIR ALLAN R.S.A., R.S.W., R.W.S. (SCOTTISH 1852-1942) RETURN OF THE FISHING FLEET
Sold at £3,52875. EDWARD ATKINSON HORNEL (SCOTTISH 1864-1933) VOICES IN THE WOODLANDS UNSOLD
76. REMOVED FOR PRIVATE SALE
77.
REMOVED FOR PRIVATE SALE78.
REMOVED FOR PRIVATE SALE79. LÉON AUGUSTIN L’HERMITTE (FRENCH 1844-1925) RETOUR DU TROUPEAU À LA FERME DU VIVIER, C.1902 UNSOLD
80. WILLIAM KENNEDY (SCOTTISH 1859-1918) MARKET-PLACE, WOOLHAMPTON UNSOLD
81. WILLIAM MARSHALL BROWN R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1863-1936) WALING POTATOES
Sold at £6,93082. JOHN LOCHHEAD R.B.A. (SCOTTISH 1866-1921) THE WINDMILL, HOLLAND
Sold at £1,07183. WILLIAM KENNEDY (SCOTTISH 1859-1918) THE VIDETTE
Sold at £1,51284. LÉON AUGUSTIN L’HERMITTE (FRENCH 1844-1925) THE OLD WELL
Sold at £1,63885. WILLEM MARIS (DUTCH 1844-1910) LANDSCAPE WITH CATTLE
Sold at £ 1,38686 STANSMORE RICHMOND LESLIE DEAN (SCOTTISH 1866-1944) THE BRETON GIRL
Sold at £37,70087. LOUIS EUGÈNE LAMBERT (FRENCH 1825-1900) KITTENS
Sold at £1,38688. JAMES ELDER CHRISTIE (SCOTTISH 1847-1914) HALLOWE’EN FROLICS
Sold at £3,02489. SIR GEORGE PIRIE P.R.S.A., H.R.S.W., L.L.D. (SCOTTISH 1864-1946) THE HEN ROOST
Sold at £4,03290 OLIVE CARLETON SMYTH (SCOTTISH 1882-1949) BACCHANALE
Sold at £37,70091. ROBERT HOPE R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1869-1936) THE GOLDEN APPLE
Sold at £16,38092. EUGÈNE CARRIÈRE (FRENCH 1849-1906) FEMME COL BRODERIE UNSOLD93. WILLIAM STEWART (SCOTTISH 1823-1906) THE PENNY WHISTLE
Sold at £4,53694. COWAN DOBSON R.B.A. (SCOTTISH 1893-1980) A MODEL
Sold at £6,93095. SIR WILLIAM QUILLER ORCHARDSON R.A., H.R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1832-1910) COMPANIONS
Sold at £1,89096. FRANCIS CAMPBELL BOILEAU CADELL R.S.A., R.S.W (SCOTTISH 1883-1937) PINK AND GOLD
Sold at £250,20097.STANLEY CURSITER C.B.E., R.S.A., R.S.W (SCOTTISH 1887-1976) LOBSTER FISHERMEN, ROUSAY
Sold at £30,200
Paisley Photographs 