The thesis traces the whole of Alexander Reid's life (1854-
1928), the development of his career as an art dealer in
Glasgow, and his influence on Scottish collectors between
1889 and 1925. This is set in the wider context of dealing
practice in Britain and France, and emphasis is given to
the role of the dealer in the career of the artists he
represents. Attention is drawn to the development of taste
in Scotland and to the distinctive characteristics of
Scottish taste (for instance, for the Hague School).
The main text is divided chronologically into six time
sections or chapters, each of which is introduced by an
overall view of the period, including biographical details
and information on any exhibitions or gallery changes which
took place during that time. Specific themes are
discussed, including Reid's patronage of contemporary
Scottish art and his promotion of French art during a
particular period. The first chapter covers Reid's youth
and early experiences of dealing in Glasgow. This first
section also gives a general background to the period and
addresses such issues as taste in Scotland during the 1870s
and 1880s. The second chapter takes in Reid's education
and maturity in Paris, his friendship with the Van Gogh
brothers and the development of his own advanced tastes in
art. The third chapter is concerned with the setting up of
Reid's Glasgow gallery, La Societe des Beaux-Arts, in 1889,
his patronage of the Glasgow Boys and his promotion of
Whistler and Impressionist art during the 1890s. The
fourth chapter deals with the period of recession and
retrenchment at the beginning of the 20th century and up to
the First World War. The fifth chapter celebrates Reid's
achievements during the post-war boom of the 1920s, his
patronage of the Scottish Colourists and the establishment
in Scotland of a taste for Impressionism. The final
section covers the period after Reid's retirement, the
merger of Reid's gallery with the Lefdvre gallery in London
and the final closure of La Societe des Beaux-Arts in 1932.
The appendices include two important lists of collectors
and dealers associated with Reid, together with a list of
located works handled by Reid
