Sir James Guthrie (10 June 1859 – 6 September 1930) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

, associated with the

Glasgow Boys The Glasgow School was a circle of influential artists and designers that began to coalesce in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1870s, and flourished from the 1890s to around 1910. Representative groups included The Four (also known as the Spook Schoo ...

. He is best known in his own lifetime for his

portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better r ...

ure, although today more generally regarded as a painter of Scottish Realism.

Early life and education

Statesmen of World War I by Sir James Guthrie

Guthrie was born in

Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...

, the youngest son of the Rev. John Guthrie, a minister of the Evangelical Union church, and Anne Orr. He originally enrolled at

Glasgow University The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in post-nominals; ) is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ...

to study

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

, but in 1877 abandoned this in favour of painting. Unlike many of his contemporaries he did not study in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, being mostly self-taught, although he was mentored for a short time by James Drummond in Glasgow and then

John Pettie John Pettie (17 March 1839 – 21 February 1893) was a painter from Edinburgh who spent most of his career in London. He became a member of the Royal Academy in 1866 and a full academician in 1874. As an enthusiastic amateur musician, he ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

.Biography
("Helensburgh heroes") In 1879, he moved to London to study painting. during the summer he painted at rural locations, often Rosneath and Helensburgh but mostly at Cockburnspath. Guthrie spent some time with his friend

Edward Arthur Walton Edward Arthur Walton (15 April 1860 in Glanderston House, Barrhead, Renfrewshire – 18 March 1922 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish painter of landscapes and portraits, associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting. Life Edward was one ...

living in

Cheyne Walk Cheyne Walk is a historic road in Chelsea, London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It runs parallel with the River Thames. Before the construction of Chelsea Embankment reduced the width of the Thames here, it fronted t ...

in Chelsea

Career

Guthrie lived most of his life in the

Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by West Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, and East Lothian to the north, the North Sea to the east, Dumfries and Galloway to the south-west, South Lanarkshire to the we ...

, since 1883 in

Cockburnspath Cockburnspath ( ) is a village in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. It lies near the North Sea coast between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar. Cockburnspath is the eastern terminus of the Southern Upland Way as well as the northern terminus of ...

Berwickshire Berwickshire (; ) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. The county takes its name from Berwick-upon-Tweed, its original county town, which was part of Scotland at the ...

, where he painted some of his most important works, including ''A Hind's Daughter'' (1883), and ''Schoolmates'' (1884). He was strongly influenced by the French Realists, especially

Jules Bastien-Lepage Jules Bastien-Lepage (1 November 1848 – 10 December 1884) was a French painter closely associated with the beginning of naturalism, an artistic style that grew out of the Realist movement and paved the way for the development of impressioni ...

, and was associated with the

. In 1888, he was elected an associate of the

Royal Scottish Academy The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country's national academy of art. It promotes contemporary art, contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy ...

, and a full member in 1892. In November 1902 he was unanimously elected to succeed Sir

George Reid Sir George Houston Reid (25 February 1845 – 12 September 1918) was a Scottish-born Australian and British politician, diplomat, and barrister who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Australia, prime minister of Australia from 1904 t ...

as RSA president, and he moved with his family from Glasgow to Edinburgh. In 1903, he was knighted. 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 ...

Guthrie exhibited often at the club's annual exhibitions. In 1919, Guthrie was commissioned by South African financier Sir Abraham Bailey, 1st Baronet to paint a group portrait of 17 politicians and statesmen of Britain and its allies who held office during the First World War. The painting, '' Statesmen of World War I'', was completed in 1930, shortly before Guthrie's death. The painting was donated to the

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...

. Guthrie's 17 preparatory oil studies were donated to

Scottish National Portrait Gallery National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. Portrait holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Collec ...

. In 1920, the King of Belgium conferred Guthrie with the Cross of Commander of the Order of the Crown. In 1921, he joined the newly-formed

Society of Graphic Art The Society of Graphic Fine Art (known until 1988 as the Society of Graphic Art) is a British arts organisation dedicated to drawing in all of its forms, established in 1919. History The Society of Graphic Art was founded in 1919 by Frank Lewis ...

, and exhibited with them in 1921.

Personal life and death

In the late 1880s Guthrie met Helen Newton Whitelaw, a wealthy widow at her family home, Rowmore, in

Rhu Rhu (; ) is a village and historic parish on the east shore of the Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The traditional spelling of its name was ''Row'', but it was changed in the 1920s so that outsiders would pronounce it correctly. The ...

Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire () or the County of Dumbarton is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbar ...

. They married in 1897 and in 1899 their son Thomas Whitelaw Boyd Guthrie was born in Chelsea, London. On October 20, 1912 she died of cancer at the age of 52. Guthrie died in the house of his retiral in 1930. His grave in Rhu was designed by the architect Alexander Nisbet Paterson.

Work

Earl Haig painting by J Guthrie in Dundas House Edinburgh

By 1885, Guthrie was a reputable portrait painter and in later life he virtually abandoned other subjects. He was commissioned by many of the rich and famous of his day to paint their portraits. The list is quite impressive: *

Herbert Henry Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928) was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. He was the last ...

(portrait and sketch study) Scottish National Portrait Gallery (archive) *

Arthur James Balfour Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour (; 25 July 184819 March 1930) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As foreign secretary in the Lloyd George min ...

(two portraits) Scottish National Portrait Gallery * Sir

Henry Campbell-Bannerman Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman ( né Campbell; 7 September 183622 April 1908) was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 1908. ...

, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1905–08 *

George Nicoll Barnes George Nicoll Barnes (2 January 1859 – 21 April 1940) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and a Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party (1910–1911). Early life Barnes was born on 2 January 1859 in ...

statesman, Scottish National Portrait Gallery (archive) * Sir Charles Barrie (1840–1912) Lord Provost of Dundee 1902-5, Dundee Art Gallery * Thomas Berwick (1753–1828) (based on an early portrait) * Sir

Robert Laird Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was a Canadian lawyer and Conservative politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World ...

prime minister of Canada, Scottish National Portrait Gallery archive * Gen.

Louis Botha Louis Botha ( , ; 27 September 1862 – 27 August 1919) was a South African politician who was the first Prime Minister of South Africa, prime minister of the Union of South Africa, the forerunner of the modern South African state. A Boer war v ...

Scottish National Portrait Gallery * Sir

John James Burnet Sir John James Burnet (31 May 1857 – 2 July 1938) was a Scotland, Scottish Edwardian architecture, Edwardian architect who was noted for a number of prominent buildings in Glasgow and London. He was the son of the architect John Burnet (arch ...

* James Caldwell, county clerk of Renfrewshire, Paisley Art Gallery * James Coats, mill-owner of Coats Thread fame, Paisley Art Gallery * Sir

Joseph Cook Sir Joseph Cook (7 December 1860 – 30 July 1947) was an Australian politician and trade unionist who served as the sixth Prime Minister of Australia, prime minister of Australia from 1913 to 1914. He held office as the leader of the Fusion L ...

prime minister of Australia *

Sir Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

Marcus Dods (theologian) Marcus Dods (11 April 1834 – 26 April 1909) was a Scottish divine and controversial biblical scholar. He was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He served as Principal of New College, Edinburgh. Life He was born at Belford, Northu ...

(1834–1909)

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

Fine Art Collection * Rev. Dr. Andrew Gardiner * Sir Frederick C. Gardiner (1855–1937), Glasgow Galleries archive * Sir

Eric Campbell Geddes Sir Eric Campbell Geddes (26 September 1875 – 22 June 1937) was a British businessman and Conservative politician. With a background in railways, he served as head of Military Transportation on the Western Front, with the rank of major-ge ...

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. A Liberal Party (United Kingdom), Liberal Party politician from Wales, he was known for leadi ...

, Scottish National Portrait Gallery (archive) * Sir John Gilmour (1876–1940) * Edward Grey (1862–1933) Britain's Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916 * Dr. Errol Guthrie (his nephew who was killed in World War One), Aberdeen Art Gallery * Field Marshal Haig (hanging in

Dundas House Dundas House is a Neoclassical building in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at 36 St Andrew Square, in the city's first New Town. The building was completed in 1774 as a private town house for Sir Lawrence Dundas by the architect Sir Willi ...

), commissioned for his directorship of the Commercial Bank in 1923. * William Morris Hughes * Prof. William Jack (1834–1924), Professor of Mathematics,

Hunterian Art Gallery The Hunterian is a complex of museums located in and operated by the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest museum in Scotland. It covers the Hunterian Museum, the Hunterian Art Gallery, the Mackintosh House, the Zoology M ...

, Glasgow. *

Bonar Law Andrew Bonar Law (; 16 September 1858 – 30 October 1923) was a British statesman and politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1922 to May 1923. Law was born in the British colony of New Brunswick (now a Canadi ...

(two portraits) one in the

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...

, one in the

(archive) * Lt Arthur Leslie Hamilton of the

Highland Light Infantry The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First World War, First and World War II, Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 t ...

d.1918, Glasgow Galleries archive * William Ferguson Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand * Sir Alfred Milner Scottish National Portrait Gallery (archive) * Edward Patrick Morris Prime Minister of Newfoundland * Bailie Alexander Osborne * Sir George Paul (1839–1926) Deputy Keeper of the Signet Library, Edinburgh * Sir

Robert William Philip Sir Robert William Philip (29 December 1857 – 25 January 1939) was a Scottish physician and pioneer in the treatment and control of tuberculosis. Life Philip was born in Govan on the 29 December 1857, the son of Margaret Josephine Roberts ...

* Sir

Ganga Singh General Maharaja Sir Ganga Singh (13 October 1880 – 2 February 1943) was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Bikaner (in present-day Rajasthan, India) from 1888 to 1943. As a member of the Imperial War Cabinet, he was present in the ...

Scottish National Portrait Gallery (archive) * Sir John Shearer * Sir William Turner * Archibald Stodart Walker * Rev. Alexander Whyte (1836–1921) Principal of New College, Edinburgh, Scottish National Portrait Gallery archive * James Younger (1856–1946) *

George Lennox Watson George Lennox Watson (30 October 1851 – 12 November 1904) was a Scottish naval architect. Born in Glasgow, son of Thomas Lennox Watson, a doctor at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and grandson of Sir Timothy Burstall, engineer and entrant at th ...

* Schoolmates (1884), MSK Ghent, Belgium

References

External links

* *

National Gallery of Scotland The National (formerly the Scottish National Gallery) is the national art gallery of Scotland. It is located on The Mound in central Edinburgh, close to Princes Street. The building was designed in a neoclassical style by William Henry Playfa ...

Sir James Guthrie
*

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...