Leaderfoot Bridge to move to Melrose

Ally McGilvray • Published 30 Mar 2010 14:46 0 Comments

A PAINTING of the Borders by the first professional woman artist in Scotland is to be returned to its spiritual home in Melrose.

Phoebe Anna Traquair created the picture entitled Leaderfoot Bridge - which paints a fairytale image of the local landscape - following a holiday in the area. It was left to the community following her death in 1936.

However, the painting was damaged while on display in Melrose town hall and was later moved to the Burgh Chambers in Galashiels temporarily for safe-keeping in 1996. Now, 14 years later, talks are planned for its return.

But, at a meeting of Melrose Community Council last week, Councillor Nicholas Watson, who represents the area on Scottish Borders Council, pointed out the town hall was now used as the Scout hall and claimed the Ormiston Institute would be the only suitable venue big enough to accommodate the painting.

It had been suggested it could be moved to the refurbished Abbotsford House. But Provost William Windram said: "If they are going to do that they may as well just keep it in Galashiels."

Traquair was one of the most remarkable figures in the Arts and Crafts movement and the Scottish cultural renaissance of the early twentieth century.

She ignored the traditional boundaries of 'fine' and 'applied' art, and was refused associate membership of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1900.

But, as her reputation and collections of work grew, she was elected as the first honorary woman member in 1920 and she continued for the next five years until stopped by her failing eyesight.

Scottish Borders Council's Cultural Services Manager Ian Brown said: "The painting (with the council) is called Leaderfoot Bridge and shows the local landscape with a 'fairyland' theme. It was left to the people of Melrose from the estate of the artist, noted for her role in the Arts and Crafts movement in Scotland, as an illustrator, painter and embroiderer and who used to holiday in the Melrose area.

"The painting had been on display in the town hall in Melrose for a number of years but had, unfortunately, been defaced at some stage.

"The Council was contacted a few years ago by the National Galleries of Scotland, who were staging an exhibition of Phoebe Anna Traquair's work. The painting formed a part of that exhibition after being cleaned and restored.

"When the exhibition ended, it was decided to display the painting temporarily in the Burgh Chambers in Galashiels until a more secure location could be found in Melrose." And he added: "We are now in talks with a view to moving the painting back to Melrose - most likely to the Ormiston Institute."

A meeting between community councillors and council officials to discuss the painting's future is to be held in the Ormiston Institute in Melrose on April 26.

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