Aberdeen Artworlds: The Linklater Collection features ten important Scottish modernist paintings donated to the University by Eric and Marjorie Linklater in 1976, known as the Linklater bequest. The exhibition, running until 6 December 2026, will provide an opportunity for audiences to engage with the collection on the 50th anniversary of its donation to the University.

On show are a wide range of paintings, including still lifes and portraits by the Scottish Colourists J. D. Fergusson, S. J. Peploe and Leslie Hunter, a landscape by Catterline-based painter Joan Eardley, and flower paintings by Anne Redpath, together with works and archives on loan from the Linklater family.

The cultural landscape of Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland is showcased, with the exhibition exploring how the paintings of the collection relate to the artworlds of Aberdeen during the 1970s. This was a time that saw an explosion of interest in art in the city, when institutions such as Aberdeen Art Gallery and Peacock Printmakers came to prominence and Eardley and Redpath gained significant recognition.

The exhibition draws on a research project “Aberdeen’s Artworlds c. 1976: The Linklater Bequest in Context” by the Department of Art History to mark the 50th year of the Linklater bequest. Led by Dr Joanne Anderson, Dr Hans Hönes and Dr Catriona McAra the research reframes the painting collection as an instrument to promote Scottish art, and as a contribution intended to support art and culture in the north-east. The work is funded by a British Academy/ Leverhulme Small Grant and a grant from the Association for Art History and a catalogue will be produced to accompany the exhibition published by Aberdeen University Press.

Both the exhibition and the research project form part of RSA 200: Celebrating Together, a partnership project commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA). Many of the artists featured were RSA members.

Keep an eye on this What's On listing for a year-long programme of associated events and activities, including a partnership with the student-run arts/literary festival WayWORD in October, that will offer further insights into these important works and their significance as an instrument to promote Scottish and north-east art and culture.

• Mon - Fri 11am - 7pm
• Saturday 10am - 4pm