126. Scottish Renaissance - The New Scottish Galleries at the National with Sir John Leighton

We talk to Sir John Leighton, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, about Edinburgh’s superb new Scottish Galleries at the National, which will open on September 30th after £38.62 million worth of investment.

The ten, light-filled rooms, offering majestic views over Edinburgh, will showcase 130 works of historic Scottish art by artists ranging from the Glasgow Boys, William McTaggart and Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Anne Redpath to lesser-known artists like Phoebe Anna Traquair. 

Sir John describes how many of these major beautiful works of art have been given new life by being moved out of a dingy, uninspiring basement into these contemporary galleries. We have a fascinating conversation about what it means to be a Scottish artist and how the new hang will redefine Scottish art and underline the importance of Scottish painters’ contribution to British art overall.

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