Glasgow City Council has introduced a bill to the Scottish parliament that would overturn Sir William Burrell’s wish that his art collection would not be loaned overseas.
Burrell donated his internationally important collection of 8,000 artworks to Glasgow in 1944. But the Glasgow-born shipping magnate, who died in 1958, was concerned that items might be damaged if they were transported overseas.
The Burrell Collection is housed in a museum that was built in 1983 and is now in need of refurbishment. Glasgow City Council is hoping to tour the collection internationally while the museum is redeveloped and it has introduced the private bill to secure a legal solution to lift the restrictions on overseas lending.
The Burrell Collection is managed by Glasgow Life, the trust that runs sport and cultural facilities in the city on behalf of the city council. Both organisations and the trustees of the Burrell Collection have been involved in discussions about the refurbishment of the museum and the private bill.
The explanatory notes to the bill state that: “The restrictions are considered by the promoter to be outdated and unduly restrictive in terms of promoting the collection (by way of lending or touring) as one of Scotland‘s most important cultural assets.
"The opportunity is also being taken to remove restrictions placed on the council from taking receipt of items on loan from other museums and galleries which do not form part of the Collection and displaying them alongside items which do.”
The background material also states that: “In the 1920s and 1930s Sir William gave great deliberation to the future location of his collection. Whilst both Edinburgh and London were considered, only Glasgow would agree to the series of conditions which were ultimately contained in the agreement.”
Some other museums have similar stipulations on loans. A condition of the 1897 bequest to the nation of the Wallace Collection in London was that the objects should be kept together and not be added to with new acquisitions.
Burrell donated his internationally important collection of 8,000 artworks to Glasgow in 1944. But the Glasgow-born shipping magnate, who died in 1958, was concerned that items might be damaged if they were transported overseas.
The Burrell Collection is housed in a museum that was built in 1983 and is now in need of refurbishment. Glasgow City Council is hoping to tour the collection internationally while the museum is redeveloped and it has introduced the private bill to secure a legal solution to lift the restrictions on overseas lending.
The Burrell Collection is managed by Glasgow Life, the trust that runs sport and cultural facilities in the city on behalf of the city council. Both organisations and the trustees of the Burrell Collection have been involved in discussions about the refurbishment of the museum and the private bill.
The explanatory notes to the bill state that: “The restrictions are considered by the promoter to be outdated and unduly restrictive in terms of promoting the collection (by way of lending or touring) as one of Scotland‘s most important cultural assets.
"The opportunity is also being taken to remove restrictions placed on the council from taking receipt of items on loan from other museums and galleries which do not form part of the Collection and displaying them alongside items which do.”
The background material also states that: “In the 1920s and 1930s Sir William gave great deliberation to the future location of his collection. Whilst both Edinburgh and London were considered, only Glasgow would agree to the series of conditions which were ultimately contained in the agreement.”
Some other museums have similar stipulations on loans. A condition of the 1897 bequest to the nation of the Wallace Collection in London was that the objects should be kept together and not be added to with new acquisitions.
