The magazine of the University of Dundee • December 2012

www.dundee.ac.uk/pressoffice
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University Benefactors Celebrated
A new exhibition celebrating the benefactors whose generosity
significantly contributed to the University’s development opened
in the Tower Foyer Gallery Last month.
The exhibition, entitled ‘Benefiting from the Facts’, features more
than 25 paintings, photographs and other items related to some
of the many benefactors who aided higher education and research
in Dundee.
Running until January, it recognises contributions to the former
Dundee Royal Infirmary, and institutions which are now part of the
University, including Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design
(DJCAD) and Dundee Dental Hospital & School
The exhibition tells various fascinating stories of generosity.
Miss Margaret Harris (1815-1894) left a bequest of £25,000 for
educational purposes, which was shared by the High School of
Dundee and University College, Dundee, the precursor to the
University.
This donation founded the Harris Chair of Physics in 1895 and the
Harris Trust continues to support the University, helping to develop
the Chaplaincy Centre and funding the Margaret Harris Lecture on
Religion, which brought the Dalai Lama to Dundee earlier this year.
The University’s Harris Building is also named after her. A bust of
Margaret Harris by John Hutchison is being shown in the gallery.
contact•December 12
Not all donations were financial. Dr James Nicoll (1872–1958) was
a former student who gave a large collection of artworks and books
on art to the University in 1951. The paintings formed the basis for
the University’s now extensive collections of art and examples from
Nicoll’s bequest by famous 19th century painters John Constable
and Sir David Wilkie feature as part of the exhibition.
Curator Claire Wallace, from the University’s Museum Services, said,
“This is a wonderful way for the University to mark the donation of
the many benefactors who have contributed to its development as
well as showing some magnificent and important artworks.
“Two of the exhibited oil paintings on display – portraits of Lieutenant-
Colonel S J L Hardie and James Soutar of Thornbank – have recently
been conserved thanks to grant funding from Museums Galleries
Scotland, and are being displayed for the first time in several years.
Colonel Hardie gave the land on which Belmont Hall was constructed
and Soutar was an important donor to Dundee Royal Infirmary.”
The exhibition will run until Saturday 12th January 2013. Opening
hours are 9.30am-8.30pm on weekdays and 9.30am-4.30pm on
Saturdays. The Gallery will be closed during the Christmas holiday
from 23rd December to 3rd January. More information is available
from museum@dundee.ac.uk or 01382 384310.
Image shows The Mountain Shepherdess by Hugh Cameron, one
of many paintings bought by the University with money from the
James Lamb bequest.