The Hunterian

This September, The Hunterian will celebrate a very important addition to its collection with a new exhibition dedicated to John and Alexander Runciman, two of the most talented 18th century Scottish artists.

In 2010, The Hunterian was allocated Hagar and the Angel or Hagar and Ishmael by John Runciman as part of the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, through which works of art are allocated to eligible museums and galleries in lieu of inheritance tax. The work will be shown with The Hunterian’s holding of works by the Runciman brothers in the new in-focus exhibition called Hagar and the Angel.

Although they trained as decorative painters in Edinburgh, John and Alexander aspired to be History painters and left Scotland to study in Italy in 1767. In Rome they became familiar with the circle of international artists living there, including fellow Scot Gavin Hamilton, James Barry from Ireland, Henry Fussli from Switzerland and Jean-Louis David from France.

Hagar and the Angel is one of a very small group of biblical subjects painted by John Runciman before he left for Italy. It depicts the scene from the Book of Genesis, in which Hagar and her son have been cast out of Abraham's house at the insistence of Sarah. Without water and fearful for her child, Hagar prays to God, who sends an angel to point to a miraculously welling stream.

Very few of John’s paintings survive, so The Hunterian is very fortunate to be able to add it to its collection.

John died of tuberculosis within a year of his arrival in Italy. His brother Alexander returned to Edinburgh in 1771 and become one of Scotland’s leading late 18th century artists.

The exhibition contrasts John’s romantic and spontaneous manner, also notable in Alexander’s work, with contemporary works from The Hunterian collection, demonstrating the range and diversity of mid-to-late 18th century British art.

Hagar and the Angel
15 September 2012 - 25 August 2013
Hunterian Art Gallery
Admission free

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For further information contact:
Anne Dulau Beveridge, Curator
Email: Anne.Dulau@glasgow.ac.uk

For images contact:
Harriet Gaston, Communications Manager
Email: Harriet.Gaston@glasgow.ac.uk

Hunterian Art Gallery
University of Glasgow
82 Hillhead Street
Glasgow G12 8QQ

From 15 September, open Tuesday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm and Sunday 11.00am - 4.00pm
Admission to the Art Gallery is free - admission charge for some exhibitions

The Hunterian Art Gallery Refurbishment
The Hunterian Art Gallery is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment which will allow much greater access to our collections, significantly increasing the number of works on display.

The Hunterian Art Gallery is currently closed to the public, re-opening on 15 September.

From September, visitors can expect a different look and feel to the Gallery, as well as improved access to a range of quality works by leading artists that can’t be seen anywhere else in Scotland.

The Hunterian
Founded in 1807, The Hunterian is Scotland’s oldest public museum. Built on William Hunter’s founding bequest, the collections include scientific instruments used by James Watt and Joseph Lister; outstanding Roman artefacts from the Antonine Wall; major natural sciences holdings; one of the world’s greatest numismatic collections and impressive ethnographic objects from the Pacific Ocean.

The Hunterian is also home to a major art collection ranging from Rembrandt and Chardin to the Scottish Colourists and contemporary art; the world’s largest permanent display of the work of James McNeill Whistler; the largest single holding of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and The Mackintosh House, the reassembled interiors from his Glasgow home.

There are four Hunterian venues on the University of Glasgow campus - the Hunterian Museum, Hunterian Art Gallery, home to The Mackintosh House, the Zoology Museum and the Anatomy Museum.

First published: 23 August 2012