A striking collection of works by some of the most important Scottish artists of the 20th century is now on display as part of a new exhibition at the University of Aberdeen.
‘Aberdeen Artworlds: The Linklater Collection’ features ten important Scottish modernist paintings donated to the University by Eric and Marjorie Linklater in 1976, known as the Linklater bequest.
The exhibition, running until 6 December 2026, provides an opportunity for visitors to engage with the bequest on the 50th anniversary of its donation to the University. A varied public events programme, including a partnership with the student-run arts/literary festival WayWORD in October, will offer further insights into these important works and their significance as an instrument to promote Scottish and north-east art and culture.
On show are a wide range of paintings, including still lifes and portraits by the “Scottish Colourists” J. D. Fergusson, S. J. Peploe and Leslie Hunter, a landscape by Catterline-based painter Joan Eardley, and paintings by Anne Redpath and James Cowie, together with works and archival material on loan from the Linklater family and other generous lenders. Visitors can also have a go at creating their own still life in the gallery, inspired by the paintings on display.
The cultural landscape of Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland is showcased with the exhibition exploring how the paintings of the collection relate to the artworlds of Aberdeen during the 1970s. This was a time that saw an explosion of interest in art in the city, with the establishment of Peacock Printmakers and the University’s Art History department, as well as the move of Gray’s School of Art to Garthdee, while the artists featured in the bequest gained significant recognition.
The exhibition draws on the research project “Aberdeen’s Artworlds c. 1976: The Linklater Bequest in Context” by the University of Aberdeen’s Department of Art History to mark the 50th year of the Linklater bequest. Led by Dr Joanne Anderson, Dr Hans Hönes and Dr Catriona McAra, the research reframes the painting collection as an instrument to promote Scottish art, and as a contribution intended to support art and culture in the North-East. The research is funded by the British Academy/ Leverhulme Small Grant together with a grant from the Association for Art History. A catalogue will be produced to accompany the exhibition published by Aberdeen University Press.
Both the exhibition and the research project form part of RSA 200: Celebrating Together, a partnership project commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA). Many of the artists featured were RSA members.
Co-curators Cat, Hans and Joanne said: "The Linklaters are an extraordinary family of cultural leaders with literary pedigree and activist ambitions. Their collecting habits were ahead of their time, including support of art made by women and queer artists. Our research sheds new light on the family's achievements, their personal taste and passion for art, and how the bequest and the larger private collection opens onto the 1970s artworlds of the North-East."
Jenny Downes, Exhibitions and Public Programming Manager at University of Aberdeen, said: “It is really exciting to have the opportunity to display these amazing artworks generously gifted by Marjorie Linklater, a political activist and philanthropist, in fulfilment of the wishes of her late husband Eric Linklater, a novelist and former Rector of the University of Aberdeen.
“We invite visitors to enter a world of visual art and explore and interact with the artists and their works, and the wider artworlds of which they formed a part”.