Archibald Kay RSA 1860-1935

Born in Glasgow in 1860, Archibald Kay was descended of farming stock from Caithness. He was educated at McLaren’s School, South Side, Glasgow, and after spending a short time in business became, at the age of seventeen, a student of the Glasgow School of Art, under Robert Greenlees.

This was followed by a period in Julien’s studio in Paris under Boulanger and Lefebvre. On his return to Scotland Mr. Kay taught for eighteen years in schools in Glasgow, while at the same time studying landscape painting. His chief interest was Highland landscape, and after his retiral from teaching he lived for a number of years at Callander, finding many subjects in the neighbourhood, especially in the Pass of Leny.

He also worked in Iona, and recently several large canvases of Furnace Quarry, Loch Fyne, have been his most important contributions to the exhibitions. In 1909 Glasgow Corporation acquired a characteristic work “The Rhymer’s Glen”; another Highland landscape, “Storm in the Pass of Leny,’’ was purchased in 1919 by the Corporation of Liverpool for the Walker Art Gallery.

‘‘ River in Winter Sunshine ” is in the Smith Institute, Stirling; in 1930 a large picture of Furnace Quarry was bought by the Trustees of the Caird Bequest and presented to Greenock for the Watt Institute Collection, and another of the same subject is in Paisley.

Mr. Kay was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1916, and Academician in 1930. He was for many years a member and Vice-President of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Water Colours, and was a regular exhibitor at the Society’s annual exhibition in Glasgow or Edinburgh.

He was a member of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts. As a member and past President of the Glasgow Art Club his services were recognised by a complimentary dinner in 1933. oe In addition to the British exhibitions, Mr. Kay exhibited in Munich, Paris, Venice—where he had latidecapes purchased by the King of Italy, and the Italian Government—New Zealand, and the International exhibitions at St. Louis, United States.

He travelled abroad frequently, in France and Belgium, Denmark and Italy. Mr. Kay was married twice: unfortunately his only child was drowned while a youth. He died at ie residence Kensington Gate, Glasgow, on 6th September, and is survived by his widow.

RSA Obituary Transcribed by the 1935 RSA Annual Report