Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/McLellan, Archibald

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1449695Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 35 — McLellan, Archibald1893Lionel Henry Cust

McLELLAN, ARCHIBALD (1797–1854), coach-builder and amateur of works of art, born at Glasgow in 1797, was son of a large coach-builder in that city, and was brought up to and finally became partner in his father's business. He was for many years a leading citizen in Glasgow. He became a magistrate before the age of twenty-five, and reached the position of 'deacon' of his trade, subsequently holding the office of 'deacon-convener' in the Trades' House at Glasgow. He was for over thirty years a member of the town council, and though a strong conservative in politics, did much to assist the passing of the Scotch Municipal Reform Bill. In 1833 McLellan published a small volume entitled 'An Essay on the Cathedral Church of Glasgow,' in which he called attention to the neglect and dilapidation into which that building had fallen. He also took a great share in promoting its restoration. McLellan, however, was deeply interested in the fine arts. He was a friend of Sir David Wilkie, Sir Francis Chantrey, and other artists, and collected for himself a library and a collection of works of art, containing many pictures by the old masters of great historical and artistic value. These he intended to present or bequeath to the city of Glasgow to promote the study of the fine arts, and purchased a site in Sauchiehall Street, on which he commenced to build a gallery. McLellan died, before the works were completed, at his country residence, Mugdock Castle, Stirlingshire, on 22 Oct. 1854, in his fifty-eighth year, and was buried in the High Church burying-ground at Glasgow. He conveyed by deed of bequest his collections to certain trustees on behalf of the citizens of Glasgow. After his death, however, his affairs were found to be so much involved that the trustees were unable to carry out his bequest. Eventually the corporation of Glasgow agreed to purchase the collection of pictures and sculpture, with the buildings and other heritable property in or near Sauchiehall Street. Nevertheless, the fine collection remained unnoticed and sadly neglected for about thirty years, until it was in danger of being dispersed; attention was then drawn to it, and it was placed under competent guardians. It now forms the chief nucleus of the remarkable collection of works of art in the Corporation Galleries of Art at Glasgow. The collection is a great tribute to McLellan's taste and power of selection at a time when critical knowledge of works of art was very rare.

[Glasgow Herald, 27 Oct. 1854; Art Journal, 4855, p. 312; Cat. of Pictures and Sculpture in the Corporation Art Galleries, Glasgow; information from James Paton, esq.]

L. C.