Louis Deuchars
Encyclopedia
Louis Reid Deuchars was a Scottish artist and sculptor.
Born in Comrie
, Perthshire
, Scotland, he attended Glasgow School of Art
from 1887 to 1888. During his time in the city he was working as a stained-glass painter, possibly for a firm of decorators, such as J & W Guthrie. His series of lithographs, 'Picturesque Glasgow' was published in 'The Bailie' (1893-5). After sending a selection of his drawings to George Frederic Watts
, 'England's Michelangelo', Deuchars secured work as an assistant to Watts at Compton, Surrey, England,where he worked on Watts' sculptures 'Physical Energy' and 'Lord Tennyson'. However, his main employment there was as one of the four main workers assisting Mrs Watts, Mary Fraser Tytler
, with her Watts Mortuary Chapel
from 1895 to 1900. He helped her to run the classes attended by the local villagers, who modelled the decorative terra cotta tiles for the chapel. Then he went on in 1900 to do the same job at the Aldourie Pottery, Dores, her enterprise in the Highlands. It was near her childhood home of Aldourie Castle, Inverness-shire. During his association with the Wattses, he learned how to submit works to major art exhibitions & sold several.
Following that he was assistant to the sculptor Sir William Goscombe John
in St John's Wood, London. Then he moved to be assistant to another sculptor, William Robert Colton
at Hughenden, near High Wycombe.
, a Scottish sculptor, who was engaged on a large memorial work to Gladstone
, took Deuchars to Edinburgh, but after a few weeks there was a disagreement and Deuchars found himself without work. Fortunately, the architect Robert Lorimer
had just embarked on his commission for the new Chapel of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle
at St Giles Cathedral. Deuchars's style of modelling appealed to Lorimer with the result that he made all the plaster models for the figure work, inside and outside, carved either in stone by Joseph Hayes & his men, in oak by the Clow brothers, or in bronze cast by the Bromsgrove Guild
. This was the start of a profitable lengthy association with Lorimer, although he also continued to exhibit & sell work in various exhibitions. His last & largest work for Lorimer was the bronze group for the Glenelg War Memorial. After that his commissions from Lorimer declined, but, working independently, he did model a large Madonna & Child, a memorial to Miss McLaggan, in Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh
.
Louis Deuchars died in 1927 and was buried at Saughton graveyard, Edinburgh. His funeral was attended by all the major figures in the local art world.
Born in Comrie
Comrie
Comrie is an affluent village and parish in the southern highlands of Scotland, towards the western end of the Strathearn district of Perth and Kinross, seven miles west of Crieff. The village has won the Royal Horticultural Society "Large Village Britain in Bloom Winner" in 2007 and 2010...
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, Scotland, he attended Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
from 1887 to 1888. During his time in the city he was working as a stained-glass painter, possibly for a firm of decorators, such as J & W Guthrie. His series of lithographs, 'Picturesque Glasgow' was published in 'The Bailie' (1893-5). After sending a selection of his drawings to George Frederic Watts
George Frederic Watts
George Frederic Watts, OM was a popular English Victorian painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. Watts became famous in his lifetime for his allegorical works, such as Hope and Love and Life...
, 'England's Michelangelo', Deuchars secured work as an assistant to Watts at Compton, Surrey, England,where he worked on Watts' sculptures 'Physical Energy' and 'Lord Tennyson'. However, his main employment there was as one of the four main workers assisting Mrs Watts, Mary Fraser Tytler
Mary Fraser Tytler
Mary Seton Fraser Tytler was a symbolist craftswoman, designer and social reformer.-Biography:...
, with her Watts Mortuary Chapel
Watts Mortuary Chapel
The Watts Mortuary Chapel is a Gothic Revival chapel and mortuary located in the village of Compton in Surrey.As a follower of the Home Arts and Industries Association, set up by Earl Brownlow in 1885 to encourage handicrafts among the lower classes, when Compton Parish Council created a new...
from 1895 to 1900. He helped her to run the classes attended by the local villagers, who modelled the decorative terra cotta tiles for the chapel. Then he went on in 1900 to do the same job at the Aldourie Pottery, Dores, her enterprise in the Highlands. It was near her childhood home of Aldourie Castle, Inverness-shire. During his association with the Wattses, he learned how to submit works to major art exhibitions & sold several.
Following that he was assistant to the sculptor Sir William Goscombe John
Goscombe John
Sir William Goscombe John R.A. , was a Welsh sculptor.-Biography:He was born in Canton, Cardiff and as a youth assisted his father, Thomas John, a wood carver, in the restoration of Cardiff Castle...
in St John's Wood, London. Then he moved to be assistant to another sculptor, William Robert Colton
William Robert Colton
William Robert Colton was a sculptor and member of the Royal Academy. He was born in Paris on the 25th December 1867 and died on the 13th November 1921.Colton enjoyed a long association with the Royal Academy...
at Hughenden, near High Wycombe.
Deuchars in Edinburgh
A promise of work for James Pittendrigh MacgillivrayJames Pittendrigh Macgillivray
Dr. James Pittendrigh MacGillivray was a prominent Scottish sculptor. He was born in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, the son of a sculptor, and studied under William Brodie and John Mossman...
, a Scottish sculptor, who was engaged on a large memorial work to Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, took Deuchars to Edinburgh, but after a few weeks there was a disagreement and Deuchars found himself without work. Fortunately, the architect Robert Lorimer
Robert Lorimer
Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer was a prolific Scottish architect noted for his restoration work on historic houses and castles, and for promotion of the Arts and Crafts style.-Early life:...
had just embarked on his commission for the new Chapel of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
at St Giles Cathedral. Deuchars's style of modelling appealed to Lorimer with the result that he made all the plaster models for the figure work, inside and outside, carved either in stone by Joseph Hayes & his men, in oak by the Clow brothers, or in bronze cast by the Bromsgrove Guild
Bromsgrove Guild
The Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts was a company of modern artists and designers associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement, founded by Walter Gilbert. The guild worked in metal, wood, plaster, bronze, tapestry, glass and other mediums....
. This was the start of a profitable lengthy association with Lorimer, although he also continued to exhibit & sell work in various exhibitions. His last & largest work for Lorimer was the bronze group for the Glenelg War Memorial. After that his commissions from Lorimer declined, but, working independently, he did model a large Madonna & Child, a memorial to Miss McLaggan, in Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh
Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh
Old Saint Paul's is an historic church of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town in Scotland. It stands on the site of the original home of the separate Scottish Episcopal Church, part of the Anglican Communion, which evolved with the adoption of the Presbyterian...
.
Louis Deuchars died in 1927 and was buried at Saughton graveyard, Edinburgh. His funeral was attended by all the major figures in the local art world.
Sources
- Boreham, Louise "Louis Reid Deuchars (1870-1927) & the Relationship between Sculptors & Architects", PhD Thesis, Edinburgh College of Art, December 1998.
- Boreham, Louise “Aldourie Pottery, Dores, Inverness-shire” in “Scottish Pottery Historical Review No.9”, 1984/5, pp. 37-39.
- Boreham, Louise “Aldourie: Testament of hope” in “The Scotsman – Weekend”, 11 July 1987.
- Boreham, Louise “Louis Reid Deuchars” in “The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland – The Journal and Annual Report 1988 No 15, pp. 14-20.
- Boreham, Louise “In Grandfather’s Footsteps” in “Motorcaravan and Motorhome Monthly”, March 1988, pp. 34 & 36.
- Boreham, Louise "Louis Reid Deuchars - Collaboration with Sir Robert Lorimer", in "Church Monuments, Journal of the Church Monuments Society" Volume XII 1977, pp. 87-93.
- Boreham, Louise "Louis Reid Deuchars and the Aldourie Pottery" in "Journal of the Scottish Society for Art History" Volume 2 1997, pp. 1 - 9.
- Boreham, Louise "Sculptors v. Architects" in "Architectural Heritage IX, The Journal of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland", 1998, pp. 84-98.
- Boreham, Louise “A Fitting Tribute – The Story of the Glenelg War Memorial”, in “Wester Ross Life”, p14.
- Boreham, Louise "The Thistle Chapel : a reassessment of the windows and carving" in "Architectural Heritage X, The Journal of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland", 1999, pp. 54 - 65.
- Boreham, Louise “Compton Chapel" in "The Victorian, the Magazine of the Victorian Society", No. 3, March 2000, pp.10 - 13.
- Boreham, Louise “Louis Reid Deuchars and the Altar at Mount Stuart” in “Sculpture Journal VII”, PMSA London, 2002, pp. 83 – 94.
- Boreham, Louise “Wood Carving in Dunblane Cathedral Choir” in “Journal of the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral”, Vol. XIX, 2002, Part 1, pp. 4 – 10.
- Boreham, Louise “New Bosses for the Roof of Glasgow Cathedral Choir” in Architectural Heritage XV, The Journal of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland", 2004, pp. 117-128.
- Boreham, Louise “Louis Reid Deuchars at Limnerslease” in “Watts Magazine”, Issue 5 Winter 2009, pp.21,2.
- Blair, Robin; Boreham, Louise; Burnett, Charles; Cumming, Elizabeth; Roads, Elizabeth "The Thistle Chapel", Edinburgh, 2009.
- Boreham, Louise "The Early Days of The Compton Pottery" in "Watts Magazine", Issue 9 Summer 2010, pp.14-18.