Robert Macaulay Stevenson, Painter and Watercolourist

Robert Macaulay Stevenson's Correspondence and Papers, including material relating to exhibitions of his paintings around the world, with programmes, magazines and journals, several printed publications in English, French and German, 1887-1946; Letters of Condolence to the Dean family on the death of their mother, 1893; Miscellaneous Papers and Correspondence of Jean Macaulay Stevenson, 1969-1974; Papers re. Glasgow Society Lady Artists' Club, including constitution, rules and regulations, syllabus, correspondence (from both Stansmore Dean and Jean Macaulay Stevenson), balance sheets, list of members, c 1900-1970; Papers re. Dissolution of the Lady Artists' Club (1970) as well as the reformation of a new club called the Glasgow Society of Woman Artists; printed copy of 'Mostellaria' by Plautus with pencil notes. Inscribed in flyleaf 'James Nisbet', 1833

Arranged within series

Open

Accession 1988/3

Descriptive list

Catalogued and collection level description compiled by Jonathan Fleming, July 2004.

Copyright: Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements

Robert [sometimes known as Richard] Macaulay Stevenson was born in Glasgow in 1854, one of the four sons and three daughters of John Stevenson and Jesse Macaulay, and brother of Sir Daniel Macaulay Stevenson, a famous Lord Provost of Glasgow. John Stevenson was an engineer, and his son originally followed him in his profession, but had little enthusiasm for engineering and enrolled for evening art classes at the Glasgow School of Design. Stevenson had particular admiration for the French school of painting, in particular the Barbizon painters, and was considerably influenced by the work of Corot. He was nicknamed 'The Moonlighter' for his ability to paint moonlit scenes. He was closely associated with the 'Glasgow Boys', for whom he was regarded as a spokesman and lived for some time at Montreuil-sur-Mer in France, at Kirkcudbright, and at Robinsfield, on the banks of Bardowie Loch, near Milngavie. He died in 1952. Stevenson married Jean Nisbet Shields of Irvine in 1890 and had a daughter, Jean. His wife, a member of the Glasgow Society Lady Artists' Club died in 1900 in childbirth and in 1902 he married Stansmore Leslie Dean, daughter of Alexander D Dean and Jane Leslie of Glasgow, a fellow member of the club, who was elected to the decoration committee in 1908. In later years his daughter, Jean Macaulay Stevenson also became a member of the Lady Artists' Club, where she also became secretary in 1955.

Correspondence and papers of Robert Macauley Stevenson are held at the National Library of Scotland Manuscripts Division Glasgow and West of Scotland Lady Artists Club records are held at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow