Marion and Richard Maudsley gave a lecture on the bagpipes, Marion contributing the Art and Richard the technical and practical aspects. Bagpipes are found all over Europe and , accordingly, are found in European painting and sculpture.

© CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection

Marion’s lecture began with the Scottish highland bagpipe, with images from the 18^th to 20^th centuries. Richard played small pipes from Scotland and Northumberland and explained their  function  and we were able to sing some well-known songs to his accompaniment. We saw paintings by Breughel, Durer and van Dyck which all feature pipers. Marion finished her talk with the Kelvingrove painting of The Pifferari by Turner. This was a fitting end to a comprehensive and accomplished lecture.

What We Did in 2016-2017

I am pleased to report that once again the Friends have approved a good number of Grants and acquisitions of works of art and have supported various other projects carried out by Glasgow Museums.

We have, during this Financial year, 2016/2017, given a further £8,000 towards the re-display of the West Court Gallery. This brings up our Grant to £50,000 which has gone towards the setting up of an African Eco Zone in the West Court.

The Children’s Art Exhibition was very successful this year, as always, and again was supported by the Friends. We gave £350 for the prizes and £1,770 towards the cost of the purchase and engraving.

Other Grants include £1,000 to help towards the purchase the Livingstone diaries and £4,000 towards the Glassford portraits.

We have also helped, with a Grant of £1,250, towards the purchase of an 18^th Century Drinking Glass.

In November last year, we agreed to give a Grant of £3,925 towards the publication and symposium of Deep in the Heart of your Brain.

We have been asked for a Grant of £15,000 towards the cost of an Exhibition together with a book called Brushes with War. This has been approved by the Executive Committee.

It was also agreed to match the funding raised for the Burrell Textiles with a Grant of £20,000.

I am happy to report that the Lectures and Excursions have been very popular and have resulted in a net profit which will go towards future grants. We are very grateful to the Guides who give of their time and knowledge freely.

Morag Robertson, Finance Convenor

Joan Eardley Exhibition at Modern 2, Edinburgh

Friends went to Edinburgh on 10^th May to see “ A Sense of Place” ,an exhibition of the work of Joan Eardley. The places were, of course, Townhead in Glasgow and Catterline, Aberdeenshire. Our guide was very knowledgeable and relaxed and she linked the paintings and the artist’s life most skilfully. The exhibition has paintings from private collections , rarely seen, and these contribute to the story of her development as an artist.

Catterline paintings include both seascapes and landscapes. There is also a display of drawings and sketches.

On the way back from Edinburgh, the bus passed through the University of Strathclyde and it was scarcely believable to see the transformation from the old Townhead  which we had seen  in photographs and in Eardley’s paintings.

Further information can be obtained at the web site A Sense of Place

The day went very smoothly thanks to the planning by Margaret Anderson . Thanks to her and to our driver.

Some of the Friends

Courtesy of Frances Dryburgh