November 1898: Art in the New Tea-Room, in the Polytechnic Warehouse Extension

From page six of The Glasgow Herald, on Wednesday the 9th of November, 1898:

 

“POLYTECHNIC WAREHOUSE EXTENSION. – The Polytechnic Warehouse, in Argyll Street, has been extended by the addition of two flats and basement to the west of the old-time premises. On the street floor is the new black dress department, from which the ladies’ cloak-room is reached, and overhead is a tea-room for the accommodation of customers. The development of tea-rooms is one of the features of the daily life of Glasgow; this of the Polytechnic, appealing as it does to a special clientelle [sic], is not as large as some others, but it is cosy, and in point of decoration it is light and elegant. In particular, it is interesting by reason of a small and excellent group of pictures. There are two early examples of Sir Noel [sic] Paton in low tones, one of them, a couple of tousled, grim Highlanders ‘At Bay,’ showing a measure of dramatic strength not found in later and more famous subjects by this artist. A large landscape by Wellwood Rattray – the edge of a forest leading down to a loch, beyond whose shining waters rises a low line of hills – is in the artist’s best manner in his treatment of tree forms and the greys and browns of shoreland. There is also a fair example of Alfred East, one of our leading painters of English landscape, who here sets down a southern farm-steading beside a placid stream, bathing all in the rosy light of the western sky; while, only to mention a single drawing, there is a large water-colour by John Terris, who also suffuses tower and battlement and red-roofed houses in the warm rays at close of day. In such pleasant environment Polytechnic customers may now enjoy a cup of afternoon tea and etceteras.”

 

 

Advertisements, informing readers, and customers of the Polytechnic, about the opening of the extension, can be found on the front pages of the Herald, on the 4th, 7th and 8th of November. The tea-room opened on Monday the 7th of November.

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, August 2020.