Duncan Macmillan, FRSA, FRSE, HRSA, is a Scottish

art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

, art critic, and writer.

Biography

He is the elder son of

William Miller Macmillan William Miller Macmillan (1 October 1885 in Aberdeen, Scotland – 23 October 1974 in Long Wittenham, Berkshire, England) is regarded as a founder of the liberal school of South African historiography and as a forerunner of the radical school o ...

. Born in 1939, and educated at Gordonstoun School, he obtained his MA degree at the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

, his Academic Diploma at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

, and his PhD at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. He is an honorary graduate of the

University of Dundee The University of Dundee; . Abbreviated as ''Dund.'' for post-nominals. is a public university, public research university based in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded as a University college#United Kingdom, university college in 1881 with a donation ...

. Macmillan is Professor Emeritus of the History of Scottish Art at the

, and a former Curator of the

Talbot Rice Gallery Talbot Rice Gallery is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland. With a 19th-century former natural history museum and a contemporary white cube gallery. History The University of Edinburgh's historic Old College wa ...

. Between 2008 and 2012 he was curator of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. He is also art critic for

The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until August 2004. Its par ...

Works

His works include ''Painting in Scotland: the Golden Age'' (Oxford 1986), and ''Scottish Art 1460-1990'' (Edinburgh 2000), According to

Cairns Craig Robert Cairns Craig (born 16 February 1949) is a Scottish literary scholar, specialising in Scottish and modernist literature. He has been Glucksman Professor of Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen since 2005. Before that, ...

, the book views Scottish art as emanating from public art practices of the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

. The

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

considered that Macmillan was excellent on the Renaissance but later prone to "a certain unevenness". Nonetheless, the "TLS" praised his "intellectual underpinning" and treatments of

William Quiller Orchardson Sir William Quiller Orchardson (27 March 1832 – 13 April 1910) was a noted Scottish portraitist and painter of domestic and historical subjects who was knighted in June 1907, at the age of 75. Early years Orchardson was born in Edinburgh, ...

and

William McTaggart William McTaggart (25 October 1835 – 2 April 1910) was a Scottish landscape and marine painter who was influenced by Impressionism. Life and work The son of a crofter, William McTaggart was born in the small village of Aros, near Camp ...

. In 1991 this book won the

Saltire Society The Saltire Society is a membership organisation which aims to promote the understanding of the culture and heritage of Scotland. Founded in 1936, the society was "set up to promote and celebrate the uniqueness of Scottish culture and Scotland’s ...

Scottish Book of the Year award. Macmillan's works also include ''Scottish Art in the 20th Century'' (Edinburgh 1994, Scottish Arts Council Book Award), and ''Scotland's Shrine: The Scottish National War Memorial'', which is accompanied by a foreword by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Lund Humphries, 2014). Macmillan is author of monographs on Scottish and European artists, including Will Maclean, Steven Campbell,

Elizabeth Blackadder Dame Elizabeth Violet Blackadder, Mrs Houston, (24 September 1931 – 23 August 2021) was a Scottish painter and printmaker. She was the first woman to be elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy. In 1962 she began ...

Victoria Crowe Victoria Elizabeth Crowe OBE, DHC, FRSE, MA (RCA) RSA, RSW (born 1945) is a Scottish artist known for her portrait and landscape paintings. She has works in several collections including the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Po ...

, and (with Tom Hewlett) of FCB Cadell. His 2015 critique of intellectual and moral probity in the contemporary art world, entitled ''The Thought Police'', appeared in ''Treason of the Scholars''.

Distinctions

In 2004 he was awarded the Henry Duncan Prize for his contribution to Scottish Historiography by the

. In 2005 he was awarded the Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun Prize for his contribution to Scottish life by the

. In 2018 he was awarded the Sir Walter Scott Medal of the

for his outstanding contribution to the appreciation of Scottish Art and its place within the European Tradition.

Bibliography

Books

* Duncan Macmillan, ''Painting in Scotland: the Golden Age'' ( Phaidon, 1986) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scottish Art 1460-1990'' (

Mainstream Mainstream may refer to: Film * ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film Literature * ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine * Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher * ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso Mu ...

, 1990) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Symbols of Survival, The Art of Will Maclean'' (revised edition 2002) * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scottish Art in the 20th Century'' (1994) * Duncan Macmillan, ''

'' (Scolar Press, 1999, ), on Scottish painter and printmaker

* Duncan Macmillan, ''Scottish Art 1460-2000'' (Mainstream, 2nd edition, 2000, ) * Tom Hewlett and Duncan Macmillan, '' F.C.B. Cadell: The Life and Works of a Scottish Colourist 1883-1937'' (

Lund Humphries Ashgate Publishing was an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham (Surrey, United Kingdom). It was established in 1967 and specialised in the social sciences, arts, humanities and professional practice. It had an American office in ...

, 2011) * Duncan Macmillan, ''

'' (Antique Collectors' Club, 2012), on Scottish artist Victoria Crowe * Duncan Macmillan, ''Scotland's Shrine: The

Scottish National War Memorial The Scottish National War Memorial is located in Edinburgh Castle and commemorates Scottish service personnel and civilians, and those serving with Scottish regiments, who died in the two world wars and subsequent conflicts. Its chief archit ...

'' (Lund Humphries, 2014)

Articles

* ''The Tradition of Painting in Scotland'', in ''

Cencrastus ''Cencrastus'' was a magazine devoted to Scottish and international literature, arts and affairs, founded after the Referendum of 1979 by students, mainly of Scottish literature at Edinburgh University, and with support from Cairns Craig, then a ...

'' No. 1, Autumn 1979, pp. 36 – 38, * ''Scotland and the Art of Nationalism'', in ''

'' No. 4, Winter 1980-81, pp. 33 – 35, * ''Scottish Painting 1500 - 1700'', in Hearn, Sheila G. (ed.), ''

'' No. 15, New Year 1984, pp. 25 - 29, * ''Scottish Painting: Ramsay to

Raeburn Raeburn is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Agnes Raeburn (1872-1955), Scottish artist * Anna Raeburn (born 1944), British broadcaster and journalist * Boyd Raeburn U.S. jazz bandleader and bass saxophonist * Henry Raeburn (17 ...

'', in Parker, Geoffrey (ed.), ''

'' No. 17, Summer 1984, pp. 25 - 29, * ''Scottish Painting: The Later Enlightenment'', in Parker, Geoffrey (ed.), ''

'' No. 19, Winter 1984, pp. 25 - 27,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macmillan, Duncan Scottish art historians Living people Scottish art critics People educated at Gordonstoun Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Year of birth missing (living people)