Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Garden Laing | Designation: | | Born: | 15 October 1852 | Died: | August 1915 | Bio Notes: | James Garden Laing was born in Aberdeen on 15 October 1852 and was articled to an as yet unidentified Aberdeen architect for five years, c.1868-73. He then moved to Cardiff as assistant to an unidentified architect there for two years, before settling in Glasgow as an assistant to Campbell Douglas & Sellars c.1875. This enabled him to study under Robert Greenlees at Glasgow School of Art and in or about 1878 he abandoned architecture to become a watercolourist of architectural and landscape subjects with a studio at 248 West George Street from c.1882-1883. He exhibited at the RSA from 1879 and was elected RSW in 1885. In his earlier years Laing painted only in Scotland and England but from about 1890, when he went to Egypt, he travelled a great deal on the continent mainly in France, Germany, Spain and Holland where he made the acquaintance of the elderly Johannes Bosboom and other Dutch painters. His studio was briefly at 257 West Campbell Street in 1899 and at 351 Renfrew Street in 1900.
By 1899 Laing was prosperous enough to marry the much younger artist Annie Rose Low (born 1869) who had a studio at 160 Bath Street, only a few doors along from 164, his studio from c.1884. They took a studio flat in Albany Mansions, Charing Cross late in 1900 or early in 1901.
Laing died in 1915, survived by his wife who moved first to a studio at 170 Hope Street and then to Beaumont Gardens. After a period spent mainly in Italy in the mid-1920s, she settled in London where she died in 1946.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Aberdeen, Scotland | Private | 1852 | c. 1873 | | | Cardiff, Wales | Private | c. 1873 | c. 1875 | | | 28, West End Park Street, Glasgow, Scotland | | Before 1878 | After 1879 | | | 248, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1882 | After 1885 | | | 164, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1886 | After 1897 | | | 176, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | | Before 1898 | After 1899 | | | 257, West Campbell, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1899 * | | | | Albany Mansions/351, Renfrew Street (and Sauchiehall Street), Glasgow, Scotland | Private/business(?) | Before 1899 | After 1915 | | | 351, Renfrew Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1900 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Campbell Douglas & Sellars | 1875 | c. 1878 | Assistant | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Caw, James L | 1908 | Scottish Painting Past and Present, 1620-1908 | | Edinburgh | p392 | | McEwan, P J M | 1994 | Dictionary of Scottish Art and Architecture | | | |
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