John Duncan Macmillan (born 7 March 1939) is a Scottish

art historian Art history is the study of artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history. Traditionally, the ...

, art critic, and writer.

Biography

He is the elder son of

William Miller Macmillan William Miller Macmillan (1 October 1885 in Aberdeen, Scotland – 23 October 1974 in Long Wittenham, Berkshire, England) is regarded as a founder of the liberal school of South African historiography and as a forerunner of the radical school ...

. Born in 1939, and educated at

Gordonstoun School Gordonstoun School ( ) is an elite co-educational private school for boarding and day pupils in Moray, Scotland. Two generations of British royalty were educated at Gordonstoun, including Prince Philip and his son King Charles III. Musician Davi ...

, he obtained his MA degree at the

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

, his Academic Diploma at the Courtauld Institute, University of London, and his PhD at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

. He is an honorary graduate of the

University of Dundee The University of Dundee is a public research university based in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded as a university college in 1881 with a donation from the prominent Baxter family of textile manufacturers. The institution was, for most of its ...

. Macmillan is Professor Emeritus of the History of Scottish Art at the University of Edinburgh, and a former Curator of the

Talbot Rice Gallery Talbot Rice Gallery is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and part of Edinburgh College of Art. The building has three exhibition spaces, including a contemporary white cube gallery and a neoclassical space that w ...

. Between 2008 and 2012 he was curator of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

. He is also art critic for ''

The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact (newspaper), compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until ...

''.

Works

His works include ''Painting in Scotland: the Golden Age'' (Oxford 1986), and ''Scottish Art 1460-1990'' (Edinburgh 2000), According to

Cairns Craig Robert Cairns Craig (born 16 February 1949) is a Scottish literary scholar, specialising in Scottish and modernist literature. He has been Glucksman Professor of Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen since 2005. Before that, ...

, the book views Scottish art as emanating from public art practices of the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...

. The ''

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

'' considered that Macmillan was excellent on the Renaissance but later prone to "a certain unevenness". Nonetheless, the "TLS" praised his "intellectual underpinning" and treatments of

William Quiller Orchardson Sir William Quiller Orchardson (27 March 1832 – 13 April 1910) was a Scotland, Scottish portraitist and painter of domestic and historical subjects who was knighted in June 1907, at the age of 75. Early years Orchardson was born in Edinbur ...

and

William McTaggart William McTaggart (25 October 1835 – 2 April 1910) was a Scottish landscape and marine painter who was influenced by Impressionism. Life and work The son of a crofter, William McTaggart was born in the small village of Aros, near Cam ...

. In 1991 this book won the

Saltire Society The Saltire Society is a membership organisation which aims to promote the understanding of the culture and heritage of Scotland, founded in 1936. The society organises lectures and publishes pamphlets, and presents a series of awards in the fiel ...

Scottish Book of the Year award. Macmillan's works also include ''Scottish Art in the 20th Century'' (Edinburgh 1994, Scottish Arts Council Book Award), and ''Scotland's Shrine: The Scottish National War Memorial'', which is accompanied by a foreword by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Lund Humphries, 2014). Macmillan is author of monographs on Scottish and European artists, including Will Maclean, Steven Campbell,

Elizabeth Blackadder Dame Elizabeth Violet Blackadder, Mrs Houston, (24 September 1931 – 23 August 2021) was a Scottish painter and printmaker. She was the first woman to be elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy of Arts. In 1962, she ...

Victoria Crowe Victoria Elizabeth Crowe (born 8 May 1945) is a Scottish artist known for her portrait and landscape paintings. She has works in several collections including the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the Ro ...

, and (with Tom Hewlett) of FCB Cadell. His 2015 critique of intellectual and moral probity in the contemporary art world, entitled ''The Thought Police'', appeared in ''Treason of the Scholars''. His ''Scotland and the Origins of Modern Art'' was published by

Lund Humphries Ashgate Publishing was an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham (Surrey, United Kingdom). It was established in 1967 and specialised in the social sciences, arts, humanities and professional practice. It had an American office in B ...

in 2023.

Distinctions

In 2004 he was awarded the Henry Duncan Prize for his contribution to Scottish Historiography by the

. In 2005 he was awarded the Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun Prize for his contribution to Scottish life by the

. In 2018 he was awarded the Sir Walter Scott Medal of the

for his outstanding contribution to the appreciation of Scottish Art and its place within the European Tradition.

Bibliography

Books

* Duncan Macmillan, ''Painting in Scotland: the Golden Age'' (

Phaidon Phaidon is an ancient Greek name that may refer to: *Phaedo of Elis, philosopher *''Phaedo'', one of Plato's dialogues named after Phaedo of Elis who appears in it *Phaidon Press, a publisher *'' Phaidon Design Classics'', a 2006 British three volum ...

, 1986) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scottish Art 1460-1990'' (

Mainstream Mainstream may refer to: Film * ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film Literature * ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine * Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher * ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso * ...

, 1990) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Symbols of Survival, The Art of Will Maclean'' (revised edition 2002) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scottish Art in the 20th Century'' (1994) * Duncan Macmillan, ''

'' (Scolar Press, 1999, ), on Scottish painter and printmaker

* Duncan Macmillan, ''Scottish Art 1460-2000'' (Mainstream, 2nd edition, 2000, ) * Tom Hewlett and Duncan Macmillan, '' F.C.B. Cadell: The Life and Works of a Scottish Colourist 1883-1937'' (

, 2011) * Duncan Macmillan, ''

'' (Antique Collectors' Club, 2012), on Scottish artist Victoria Crowe * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scotland's Shrine: The

Scottish National War Memorial The Scottish National War Memorial is located in Edinburgh Castle and commemorates Scottish service personnel and civilians, and those serving with Scottish regiments, who died in the two world wars and subsequent conflicts. Its chief archite ...

'' (Lund Humphries, 2014) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scotland and the Origins of Modern Art'' (Lund Humphries, 2023, )

Articles

* ''The Tradition of Painting in Scotland'', in ''

Cencrastus ''Cencrastus'' was a magazine devoted to Scottish and international literature, arts and affairs, founded after the Referendum of 1979 by students, mainly of Scottish literature, at Edinburgh University, and with support from Cairns Craig, then a ...

'' No. 1, Autumn 1979, pp. 36 – 38, * ''Scotland and the Art of Nationalism'', in ''

'' No. 4, Winter 1980-81, pp. 33 – 35, * ''Scottish Painting 1500 - 1700'', in Hearn, Sheila G. (ed.), ''

'' No. 15, New Year 1984, pp. 25 – 29, * ''Scottish Painting:

Ramsay Ramsay may refer to: People * Ramsay (surname), people named Ramsay * Clan Ramsay, a Scottish clan * Ramsay brothers, Indian film makers * Richard Sorge (1895–1944), Soviet spy codenamed "Ramsay" Places Australia * Ramsay, Queensland, a lo ...

Raeburn Raeburn is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Agnes Raeburn (1872-1955), Scottish artist * Anna Raeburn (born 1944), British broadcaster and journalist * Boyd Raeburn U.S. jazz bandleader and bass saxophonist * Henry Raeburn (175 ...

'', in Parker, Geoffrey (ed.), ''

'' No. 17, Summer 1984, pp. 25 – 29, * ''Scottish Painting: The Later

Enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

'', in Parker, Geoffrey (ed.), ''

'' No. 19, Winter 1984, pp. 25 – 27,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macmillan, Duncan Scottish art historians Living people Scottish art critics People educated at Gordonstoun Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1939 births