The Association for the Encouragement of Art and Music in the City of Glasgow increased this to over 120,000 by public subscription.

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1 THE ARCHITECTURE KELVINGROVE ART GALLERY AND MUSEUM FUNDING The building's architecture is one of Kelvingrove's delights. Many visitors spend as much time viewing the building and its architectural details and sculpture as they do admiring the collections housed within it. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a category A listed building. You can find out more about listed buildings in Scotland from the Historic Scotland website. Funding for building Kelvingrove was started by the profits from the 1888 International Exhibition. The Exhibition was visited by 5.75 million people, and yielded a profit of over 40,000. The Association for the Encouragement of Art and Music in the City of Glasgow increased this to over 120,000 by public subscription. The final cost was in excess of 250,000. ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION The Association for the Encouragement of Art and Music in the City of Glasgow launched an open architectural competition for the new building in James Paton, Superintendent in 1876 was in charge of the McLellan (or Corporation) Galleries of Art and of the Kelvingrove Museum. In 1866, Paton and James Hunter Dickson, Chairman of the Museum and Galleries Committee, reported that both buildings were overcrowded. They also said the McLellan Galleries were a serious fire hazard. They concluded that this endangered the collections and hindered their proper use: The urgent want of the Art Galleries and Museum of Glasgow is an instalment of a permanent building erected on a convenient and accessible site, sufficiently isolated to secure it from the risk of fire. Their preferred site was in Kelvingrove Park. Alfred Waterhouse was the adjudicator for the competition. Waterhouse ( ) was born in Liverpool. He was most famously associated with the Gothic Revival architecture of the 19th century. His best-known work is the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall.

2 John W Simpson and E J Milner Allen, joint architects, of London, were declared the winners of the architectural competition in THE BRIEF James Paton was largely responsible for the brief of the competition for the new building specified: a central or music hall giving easy access to all parts of the building a suite of top-lit art galleries museum halls, some to be roof-lighted, some to be side-lighted saloons a school of art with separate entrance (this was later dropped from the scheme) The construction was to be fireproof throughout. The building was completed in THE ARCHITECTS The winners of the architectural competition were Sir John William Simpson ( ) and Edmund John Milner Allen ( ). Sir John William Simpson Simpson was born in Brighton, and was President of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1919 to His father was the architect Thomas Simpson, and his brother was the architect Gilbert Murray Simpson. Edmund John Milner Allen Allen was born in London. While an apprentice, he won the Royal Academy Schools Silver Medal. His father was the painter John Milner Allen. Other buildings by Simpson and Allen include: City Hospital, Liverpool (1887) Victoria Institute, Worcester (1890) Manchester Royal Infirmary (1896) Cartwright Memorial Hall, Bradford (1899)

3 THE DESIGN The architects described their design as 'an astylar composition on severely Classic lines, but with free Renaissance treatment in detail'. Although it combines a variety of styles, the best description of the Kelvingrove building is Spanish Baroque. The two main towers are inspired by those of the great pilgrimage church of Santiago de Compostela. The exterior of the building is in red sandstone from Locharbriggs, near Dumfries. The interior is blond sandstone from Giffnock in the south side of Glasgow. The building was transferred to the Town Council for completion in 1896 as the Association had exhausted its funds. The foundation stone was laid on 10 September by the Duke of York (later King George V). URBAN MYTH There has been a myth circulating for many years that the building was built the 'wrong way round'. The myth also states that the architect leapt to his death from one of the towers. How the myth started has been lost in the mists of time but it may have begun because the main entrance is from Kelvingrove Park, while most visitors enter from the main road, which is Argyle Street. INTERNAL SCULPTURE CENTRAL HALL The interior of the building is in blond Giffnock sandstone and the 14 names of the guilds of Glasgow Trades House are carved on the pilasters. Around the archways, at upper level, are relief carved panels with the names of 36 composers On the south end of the Centre Hall, at high level, is carved the arms of Scotland, with lion rampant.

4 EXTERNAL SCULPTURE A scheme for sculpture was devised by the senior architect, Simpson, as well as the renowned sculptor, George Frampton RA. Other sculptors involved include: William Birnie Rhind Edward George Bramwell Johann Keller A McF Shannan F Derwent Wood Frampton created the prestigious bronze group at the north entrance, depicting Saint Mungo as Patron Saint of the Arts. St Mungo is the city of Glasgow's patron saint. Here he is depicted with a crozier in his hand. About Frampton Sir James George Frampton ( ) created a number public sculptures. For example, the much-loved Peter Pan playing a set of pipes in London's Kensington Gardens, and the lions at the British Museum. A memorial to him is in St Paul's Cathedral, London. North Entrance George Frampton created the prestigious bronze group at the north entrance, depicting Saint Mungo as Patron Saint of the Arts. On either side of St Mungo are female figures: Art is featured with a book Music with an organ

5 This is a relief of the British colonies saluting the arms of Glasgow. The entrance is topped by four huge carved figures by Derwent Wood RA, depicting: Music, with a violin Architecture, with a tapered column Sculpture, with a mason s hammer Painting, with brushes, palette and a painting About Derwent Wood Francis Derwent Wood ( ) was appointed Visiting Director of Modelling at Glasgow School of Art, Several of his works are in Glasgow. North Entrance Porch The two sides of the north entrance porch are decorated with: Industries of Glasgow at the court of Mercury on the east side Love teaching harmony to the arts on the west side Higher above are George Frampton carvings which represent the Greek artists: Pheidias, a sculptor Ictinus, an architect Apelles, a painter Northeast The northeast of the building has Religion holding a model ship, by Johan Keller. About Johan Keller Johan Keller ( ) was born in Holland and he was greatly influenced by artists of the Italian Renaissance. He spent time in Italy, and was Professor of Sculpture at the Glasgow School of Art from 1898.

6 Northwest On the northwest corner of the building is Commerce by Aristide Fabbrucci. Commerce is a seated female figure wearing a helmet and holding a model of a ship s hull. About Fabbrucci Aristide Fabbrucci (c ) was a modeller and sculptor born in Florence and based in London. His father was the sculptor Louis Fabbrucci. South Façade On the south facade, at the west end at roof level is a seated male figure representing Science, by W Birnie Rhind, circa There is also a carved sandstone relief of the arms of the County of Argyll on the west end. This is one of 30 crests of Scottish counties in the arches above the windows on all four sides of the building, circa About W Birnie Rhind William Birnie Rhind ( ) was born in Edinburgh, and had a studio in West George Street, Glasgow. He was a prolific sculptor, and there are many of his works in Scotland, England and abroad Southeast On the southeast corner of the building is Literature, by Edward George Bramwell. She is seated, wearing a wreath and holding an open book, and a quill. About Bramwell Edward George Bramwell ( ) taught at Westminster School of Art.