James Pittendrigh Macgillivray by Benno Schotz 1922

The grave of James Pittendrigh MacGillivray

James Pittendrigh MacGillivray (1856 – 29 April 1938) was a Scottish sculptor. He was also a keen artist, musician and poet. He was born in

Inverurie Inverurie (Scottish Gaelic: ''Inbhir Uraidh'' or ''Inbhir Uaraidh'', 'mouth of the River Ury') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland at the confluence of the rivers Ury and River Don, Aberdeenshire, Don, about north-west of Aberdeen. Geography ...

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...

, the son of a sculptor, and studied under William Brodie and John Mossman. His works include public statues of

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

in Irvine,

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

in Aberdeen, the 3rd Marquess of Bute in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

John Knox John Knox ( – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgate, a street in Haddington, East Lot ...

in Edinburgh's St Giles Cathedral, and

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...

in Coates Crescent Gardens, Edinburgh. After training under Brodie in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, Macgillivray worked for nine years in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

as assistant to Mossman and James Steel. In 1894 he returned to Edinburgh, where he lived at "Ravelston Elms" on Murrayfield Road. Macgillivray was a Scottish nationalist, and associated both with Patrick Geddes'

Fin de Siècle "''Fin de siècle''" () is a French term meaning , a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom '' turn of the century'' and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without co ...

Scottish cultural revival and Hugh MacDiarmid's later Scottish Renaissance movement. He contributed illustrations to the Spring and Autumn volumes of ''The Evergreen: A Northern Seasonal'' published by Patrick Geddes and Colleagues in Edinburgh in 1895. He became a member of the Scottish Arts Club in the late 1890s. His work was influenced greatly by Pictish designs, and these are on display in

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

Alloway Alloway (, ) is a suburb of Ayr, and former village, in South Ayrshire, Scotland, located on the River Doon. It is best known as the birthplace of Robert Burns and the setting for his poem Tam o' Shanter (Burns poem), "Tam o' Shanter". Tobias Ba ...

village hall contains his sculpture of

. He became a member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1901 and designed the Academicians' robes. He was appointed the King's

Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland The Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland is a member of the royal household in Scotland. The first appointment was made by Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Gr ...

in 1921. He was influential in the development of Arts teaching in Scotland, being associated with the establishment of

Edinburgh College of Art Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Tracing its history back to 1760, it provides higher education in art and design, architecture, histor ...

. In 1904 he wrote a Special Report on the Schools of Art in Scotland and in 1906 a report on the creation of a Municipal Art School in Edinburgh, drawing on his knowledge of practice in Brussels, Berlin and Paris. MacGillivray also published two volumes of

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

in Scots – ''Pro Patria'' in 1915 and ''Bog Myrtle and Peat Reek'' in 1922. He was a member of

Glasgow Art Club Glasgow Art Club is a club in Glasgow for artists and non-artists interested in creating art and the enjoyment of art - all illustrative arts, sculptures, poetry, prose, plays, music, song, choreography and dance. To advance, promote and encourag ...

for over fifty years, closely associating himself with the Glasgow Boys. On the evening of 28 October 1932 the Club hosted a dinner in his honour (with fellow honoree fellow club member James B. Anderson ARSA.) He was also a co-founder with James Paterson, E.A. Hornel and George Henry of "The Scottish Arts Review". He is buried in the tiny Gogar Kirkyard, close to the

Royal Bank of Scotland The Royal Bank of Scotland Public Limited Company () is a major retail banking, retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It is one of the retail banking subsidiaries of NatWest Group, together with NatWest and Ulster Bank. The Royal Bank of Sco ...

headquarters at

Gogarburn Gogar is a predominantly rural area of Edinburgh, Scotland, located to the west of the city. It is not far from Gogarloch, Edinburgh Park and Maybury. The Fife Circle Line is to the north. Etymology The name of Gogar first appears in a clearly ...

, with his wife Frieda who died in 1910. The grave is of his own design, depicting them side by side. Their daughters Ina MacGillivray (1887–1917) and Ehrna (1892–1966) are buried with them. Memorial to Mrs Oliphant in St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh

Memorial to Mrs Oliphant in St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh

Pupils

Pupils include sculptor Ottilie Maclaren Wallace.

Notable works

*Statue of David Livingstone in Cathedral Square,

(1875) as assistant to main sculptor: John Mossman *Statue of Thomas Campbell (poet) in George Square

(1875–77) still as assistant to John Mossman the main sculptor. *Portrait bust of Joseph Crawhall, one of the " Glasgow Boys" (1881) *Figures over the inner loggia (west) on

Glasgow City Chambers The City Chambers or Municipal Buildings in Glasgow, Scotland, has functioned as the headquarters of Glasgow City Council since 1996, and of preceding forms of municipal government in the city since 1889. It is located on the eastern side of the ...

(1886) *Monument to Peter Stewart, engineer, in

Glasgow Necropolis The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian era, Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of St. Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow, Glasgow Cathedral (St. Mungo's Cathedral). Fifty thousand individuals have ...

(1887) *Monument to Alexander McCall in

(1888) *Monument to Margaret and Annie Brown in Cathcart Cemetery, Cathcart, Glasgow (1888) *Bust of Rev James Shanks in

Maryhill Maryhill () is an area in the north-west of Glasgow in Scotland. A former independent burgh and the heart of an eponymous local authority ward, its territory is bisected by Maryhill Road, part of the A81 road which runs for a distance of ro ...

Parish Church (1889) (demolished 1998) *Typanum relief group on Anderson's Medical College, 56 Dumbarton Road, Partick (1889–1890) (commissioned by

James Sellars James Sellars (2 December 1843 – 9 October 1888) was a Scotland, Scottish architect who was heavily influenced by the work of Alexander Greek Thomson. Life Sellars was born in the Gorbals in Glasgow, son of James Sellars, house factor a ...

its architect. This depicts the 16th century physician Peter Lowe with his students. plus a pair of winged figures. *Monument to Annie Greenhill in

(1889) *Portrait bust of

Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher. Known as the "Sage writing, sage of Chelsea, London, Chelsea", his writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the V ...

(1889) *Monument to Sir James Robertson in

(1889) * Figures of the Engineer and Shipwright on Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Office (1890) *Monument to

architect and his friend,

Lambhill Lambhill is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated north of the River Clyde, approximately north of the city centre. Lambhill is a mainly residential area comprising both council and private housing. Residents are of a mixed ...

Cemetery, Glasgow (1890) his bronze relief portrait was sadly stolen. *Medallion of Peter Lowe in

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral () is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Glasgow, and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the province of Glasgow, from the 12th ...

(1893) *Portrait bust in white marble of Saul Solomon, Cape Colony MP and businessman, in the Parliament of South Africa, Cape Town (1893) *Huge monument to Alexander Allan and his family,

(1894–99) granite sections by Alexander McDonald of Aberdeen *Statue of

in Irvine (1895) *Medallion of Edward Caird in Glasgow University (1897) *Bust of Prof

David Masson David Mather Masson (2 December 18226 October 1907), was a Scotland, Scottish academic, supporter of women's suffrage, literary critic and historian. Biography Masson was born in Aberdeen, the son of Sarah Mather and William Masson, a sto ...

, Old College, University of Edinburgh (1897) *Monument to James Hedderwick,

(1901) * Livingstone Medal of

Royal Scottish Geographical Society The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) is an educational charity based in Perth, Scotland, founded in 1884. The purpose of the society is to advance the subject of geography worldwide, inspire people to learn more about the world around ...

(1901) *Reclining marble effigy of James Francis Montgomery in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh (1902) *Statue of

in Aberdeen (1902) * William Gladstone Memorial in Edinburgh (1902) assisted by William Shirreffs and (briefly) Louis Deuchars *Statue of

in St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh (1902) * Statue of the 3rd

Marquess of Bute Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute. Family history John Stuart was the member of a family that ...

(1902) *Portrait medallion of Henry Drummond (evangelist) on the Henry Drummond Memorial Fountain at

Kelvingrove Park Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. History Kelvingrove Park was originally created as the West End Park in 1852, a ...

Gates (1902...now lost) *Sculpted figures on

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...

Public Library (1904) *Medallion of Henry Drummond (evangelist) in the Free Church College, Edinburgh (1905) *Portrait head in low relief of Margaret Oliphant (1828–1897) St Giles Cathedral (1908) *Grave for his wife Frieda in Gogar Churchyard (1910) * Robert Rowand Anderson, Scottish National Portrait Gallery (1921)

References

External links

Electric Scotland bio of Macgillivray

GlasgowSculpture's page on Macgillivray
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macgillivray, James Pittendreigh 1856 births 1938 deaths Scottish male sculptors People from Inverurie Royal Scottish Academicians 19th-century Scottish sculptors 20th-century Scottish sculptors 20th-century Scottish poets Scottish male poets 20th-century Scottish male writers Scottish Renaissance Scottish nationalists