Visit to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Instead of the usual meeting, President Peter McGavigan arranged a visit to the National Portrait Gallery in Queen Street.

Dr Lucinda Lax, one of the curators at the gallery and whose specialty period is the 18th century, led the tour of the building starting in the Great Hall and then proceeding to the various gallery rooms and the library. She spent some time in the Allan Ramsay Room for which she has personal responsibility.

She was very knowledgeable about the portrait painters and their subjects and answered many members' questions.The tour lasted approximately 90 minutes and Lucinda stated that she hoped she had whetted the appetite of the visitors and that people would return for a longer visit.

Judging by the informal feedback from club members this will be the case. Lucinda was warmly applauded at the end of her tour and President Peter presented her with a Rotary pen as a token of our appreciation.