December 1856: The Exhibition of Art Manufactures, “in the new National Galleries on the Mound”, in Edinburgh – Robert Napier Among the Lenders

Some years ago, I sent the draft of an article about Robert Napier, and the Shandon Collection, to

Helen Smailes, a curator at the National Gallery of Scotland. At the time, I had some respect for

her opinion, and regarded her as a friend as well as a colleague.

 

However, a few years later, another colleague, Margaret Stewart, informed me about negative

comments made by Smailes, concerning my research, to one of Stewart’s colleagues.

 

Amongst her scribblings in the margins of my draft, are so many examples of Smailes’s need to display her

superior knowledge. One example, is her exclamation-laden comment about the opening of the Exhibition

of Art Manufactures in the National Gallery of Scotland, in 1856. Robert Napier was a major lender.

 

Smailes informed me that “it can’t have done !!!”, as the gallery “was inaugurated in 1859”. The ‘9’ is

double-underlined to emphasise her point.

 

 

Unfortunately, she is wrong, and although I pointed out her rather silly mistake, she never acknowledged

her unreliable comments. At the time, her attitude annoyed me, but now I find it quite amusing.

 

For anyone who doubts the facts, which are supported by numerous contemporary sources, the following

is of interest:

 

An article on page three of the Glasgow Saturday Post, AND PAISLEY AND

RENFREWSHIRE REFORMER, on Saturday the 20th of December, 1856, reads:

 

 

“THE EXHIBITION OF ART MANUFACTURES IN

EDINBURGH.

 

The first exhibition of the association recently formed for ‘encouraging the application of high art

to the manufacture of articles of utility and ornament,’ opened on Monday in the new National Galleries

on the Mound. In order to give due eclat to the exhibition, the committee issued invitations for a dress

promenade, and on Saturday evening both the eastern and western suite of octogons [sic] in the National

Gallery were thronged by a very large and fashionable company. Two military bands were in attendance,

and from about eight o’clock until between ten and eleven the rooms presented an appearance of animation

and gaiety, which, no doubt, repaid the commitiee of the association for the efforts they had made to

overcome the difficulties connected with the opening of the exhibition.”

 

 

 

The British Newspaper Archive.

 

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, July 2025.