1865: The Glasgow Art Union and One of Its Subscribers – The Royal South Australian Society of Arts

I am indebted to Robert Bartnik, Historian at the Royal South Australian Society of Arts, for his prompt

response to my inquiry about the Glasgow Art Union and the Society.

 

I sent my query, via the Society’s website – https://rsasarts.com.au – and received very helpful and

interesting information within two days. I very much wish that other institutions, closer to home, could

be so good.

 

The RSASA was founded in 1856, and is Australia’s oldest art society.

 

On page five of The Glasgow Herald, on Friday the 31st of March, 1865, is a long list of 244 of the Art Union’s

prize-winning subscribers. The prizes range from oil paintings, to India Proof engravings after Frith, A.R.A.,

Webster, R.A., and Maclise, R.A.

 

Number 200 on the list, and ticket number 3,175, is “South Australian Society of Arts, Adelaide.” The print

received was Noah’s Sacrifice, by Simmons, after Maclise, R.A.

 

Robert Bartnik informed me that the RSASA archives contain the following references to the Glasgow Art Union:

 

First mention of the Glasgow Art Union: 1859

 

Annual Report from 1861 confirms RSASA’s subscription to the Union. “The Committee [has] paid subscriptions

for the benefit of its constituents to the Glasgow, the Crystal Palace, and the London Art Unions for the current

year.”

 

Noah’s Sacrifice is referenced in the minutes of the Society’s 9th Annual General Meeting (1866), as part of that

year’s Art Union prize draw.

 

The Union is also mentioned in an 1863 exhibition review (p.40).

 

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, July 2025.