Posts by Robin Rodger

It is a requirement of everyone who is elected to the Royal Scottish Academy to deposit an example of their current practice into our Diploma Collection. Today we're taking a look at some of those works, and some anomalies. 

A major new exhibition exploring the life and work of Adam Bruce Thomson RSA has recently opened at the City Art Centre, and includes five works from RSA Collections.

Our Collections department have been busy building important links with further education providers to help provide experience for those considering a career in the heritage sector.

John Maclauchlan Milne RSA (1885-1957), the man often labelled as the fifth, or missing, Scottish Colourist, was until the beginning of this year represented in our Collections only by his Diploma painting - Sands of Morar. Now, with the support of author Maurice Millar, we have accessioned a number of artworks, images and items belonging to Maclauchlan Milne, giving us a much more rounded picture of the artist.

This May, the National Gallery in London will begin a year of celebrations to mark their bicentenary. As they celebrate their past and look forward to the future, we thought we’d take a look at a few connections from the RSA Collection.

We’re taking a look at stamps and aerogrammes that have either been designed by, or feature, Academicians and their work.

To celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 7 March, we’re sharing some information on recent additions to the RSA Library.

 

This is the final article celebrating our Academy Awards and features the Alastair Salvesen Art Scholarship and the RSA John Kinross Travel Scholarship.

This is the second of three articles celebrating our Academy Awards and begins with the Chalmers Bursary.

With Awards Season now in full swing, we thought we'd share some of the background stories behind our own “Academy Awards”.

As a new year beckons, many of us will be filling in key dates in our new 2024 calendars. So, we thought there would be no better opportunity to share a special group of prints from the Collections, the Peacock Calendar Suite of 1976.

As the countdown to Christmas begins, we thought we’d illustrate The Twelve Days of Christmas with works from RSA Collections.

First nominated for election as an Associate Member of the Royal Scottish Academy (ARSA) in the early 1930s.

In April we mark the 50th anniversary of the death, and in September the 125th anniversary of the birth, of Sir William George Gillies RA RSA RGI RSW.

June 24 2022 marks 99 years since architect Peter Womersley ARSA (1923-93) was born.

 

Sir Stanley Cursiter RSA's (1887-1976) contribution to Scotland's art landscape can not be overstated.

1947 saw the opening of The King's Pictures, an exhibtition of works from the collections of King George VI. 

The 31st of March 2022 marks 165 years since the birth of Sir John James Burnet FRSE FRIBA RSA RA.

2021 has already seen us celebrate the centenary of the births of two of our women members; Joan Eardley RSA (1921-63) and Ann Henderson RSA (1921-1976). This year however also marks the bi-centenary of two siblings from the Paton family of Dunfermline.

 

An enquiry sheds light on a lesser known Associate Member.

As part of national celebrations to mark the Centenary (on 18 May) of the birth in 1921 of Joan Kathleen Harding Eardley RSA, Robin H Rodger, from the RSA’s collections team considers her position with specific regard to the Royal Scottish Academy.

To mark the resignation towards the end of last year of sculptor William Brotherston RSA as the Academy’s Librarian, and of the subsequent election of Dr Fiona Dean RSA as the first woman holder of the post, Robin H. Rodger has been considering the Academy’s poetic heritage through the works of some of its Members.