Eglinton watercolours could go to Kilmarnock

Nov 27 2009 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

NORTH Ayrshire could lose the chance to have ownership of original watercolours of the Eglinton Tournament after East Ayrshire Council announced it was after them.

This week East Ayrshire Council confirmed it was looking at stumping up the £85,000 for the original watercolours, pictured right, to host an exhibition next year with funding from the Lottery.

The paintings by artist James Henry Nixon were commissioned by the Earl of Eglinton in 1839 to create 20 watercolours of the Eglinton Tournament.

The 20 paintings had been bought by an American art institution but in August, UK culture minister Barbara Follett imposed an export bar on them until November.

The UK committee reviewing art export described them as being of outstanding significance to Scottish social history.

And East Ayrshire Council confirmed this week it was putting in an offer for the paintings.

Adam Geary, of East Ayrshire Arts and Museums Neighbourhood Services, said: “East Ayrshire Council is currently exploring with a range of funding partners ways in which we could secure the Eglinton watercolours alongside other related objects from the event. East Ayrshire Council provides a major museum service in Ayrshire and operates the Dean Castle and Dick Institute art gallery and museum.

“East Ayrshire Council will be in a position to comment on this further by mid December.”

Now, North Ayrshire Council Depute Provost Ian Clarkson is worried about the future of the Eglinton Trophy if East Ayrshire host an exhibition of the paintings.

He said: “I am concerned that if the bid by East Ayrshire is successful and the watercolours go to an exhibition in Kilmarnock that the Eglinton Trophy, gifted to North Ayrshire by the 14th Earl of Eglinton, goes too.

“It is a treasure that belongs to the people of North Ayrshire and I am worried about this.

“I had hoped that the watercolours would come to North Ayrshire to go along with shields we have.”

The man behind the bid to bring the watercolours to Scotland, James Knox, who saved Dumfries House in New Cumnock from closure, was unavailable for comment.