William McFarland (1836–1898)
Painting
Portrait of William McFarland (1836–1898), 1889, by Hugh Collins (c.1834–1896).
Object details
- Object type
- Painting
- Production date
- - 1889
- Dimensions
- 75 x W 61 cm
- Museum number
- L77-1987
Source collection
McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum
The object’s story
Object Description
On loan from the McFarland Family.
Presented to the Permanent Collect: McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, on 7th May 1909 (Dundee Year Book, 1909).
Hugh Collins (c.1834-1896) was a Dundonian painter in oil and watercolour of portraits, landscapes, genres and military history. He had a studio in Nethergate, Dundee and stayed on Church St, Broughty Ferry until his death from a heart condition in 1896. Many of his works were exhibited at the RSA. Both his daughters were also artists.
Described in Dundee Year Book of 1898 as the best portrait by Hugh Collins. McFarland was a native of Lancashire and a theatrical impressario in Dundee and Aberdeen. He was the lessee of the McFarland’s Theatre of Varieties (formerly the Theatre Royal) in Castle Street (which burned down causing him great financial loss) and Her Majesty’s Theatre on the Seagate.
McFarland was married three times, his second wife (married 1871) was Helen Cowie daughter of Robert Cowie, proprietor of the Castle Street Theatre.
This portrait was presented to him in 1889 on the occasion of his third marriage (to Elizabeth McKay).