Macgillivray, James Pittendrigh, RSA
1856 – 1938
James Pittendrigh Macgillivray was the son of a stonemason, he came to Edinburgh when he was young and was apprenticed for six years to William Brodie RSA. He then served an apprenticeship in Glasgow to James Steel and John Mossman. At this time he became associated with the group of painters that came to be referred to as the "Glasgow Boys". Sometime after 1892 he moved to Edinburgh where he resided for the rest of his life. In addition to his portrait busts and figure pieces he was involved in many large scale public commissions such as the figure of John Knox at St Giles Cathedral. In 1921 he was appointed Sculptor Royal for Scotland. He was also a painter and draughtsman and a poet and he was heavily involved with a report on art education that culminated in the creation of Edinburgh College of Art. He exhibited at the RSA from 1872 until 1931, he became an Associate Member of the RSA in 1892 and an Academician in 1901.
