Fleming Collection

The Fleming Collection comprises of oils, watercolours and sculpture executed over a period from 1770 to the present day, with the majority of work completed in the 20th Century.

In 1968 Flemings, the former merchant bank, moved into new London offices and David Donald, one of the directors, suggested that it would be a good idea to purchase a few paintings in order to brighten up the many bare walls. The only guidelines he was given by the Board were that, in view of the company’s Scottish origins, the founder being Dundee born Robert Fleming, the paintings should be by Scottish artists or of Scottish scenes by any artist. At this time Scottish art was relatively underrated and Donald was thus able to purchase top class works at modest prices. He purchased the works of William McTaggart, the Glasgow Boys, and the Scottish Colourists for sums which by today's standards were ridiculously inexpensive. Earlier works by the likes of John Watson Nicol and Thomas Faed were also acquired. The Edinburgh School are also well represented by the works of William Gillies, William McTaggart the grandson of the earlier McTaggart, John Maxwell, Anne Redpath and Robin Philipson.

Artists working into the 21st century have not been neglected and examples by John Bellany, Elizabeth Blackadder, Stephan Barclay, Alan Davie, Steven Campbell, Stephen Conroy, Ken Currie, John Houston, Peter Howson, Eduardo Paolozzi, Mario Rossi and Adrian Wiszniewski are all represented.