Sir William Burrell collected medieval sculptures, stained glass, and tapestries from 1911 to 1957 that formed the Burrell Collection in Glasgow. He purchased pieces from dealers across Europe and documented his acquisitions in purchase books. Burrell also displayed parts of his collection at his home, Hutton Castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, reconstructing rooms there with his medieval objects. The document highlights Burrell's collecting over decades and his display of selections of the collection at Hutton Castle.

1. ‘An exceedingly good carving’:
Sir William Burrell (1861-1958) and his Collection of Medieval
Sculpture
Michaela Zöschg, The Burrell Collection (Glasgow)

2. Lady Constance Burrell (d. 1961),
photograph from ca. 1906
Sir William Burrell (d. 1958),
photograph from ca. 1906

3. Highlights from The Burrell Collection, Glasgow

4. The Burrell Collection, Glasgow (closed for refurbishment until autumn 2020)

5. Tapestry showing ‘David and Batsheba’, Alsace, ca. 1480, 93 cm x 104 cm (inv. no. 46.27) Stained glass panel with donor portrait,
possibly from the Church of the Friars
Minor in Oxford, late 13th century, 59.5
cm x 26 cm (inv. no. 45.2)

6. Stained glass panel with donor portrait,
possibly from the Church of the Friars
Minor in Oxford, late 13th century, 59.5
cm x 26 cm (inv. no. 45.2)

7. Alabaster panel in a wooden tabernacle, showing St John’s Head on a
Charger and Man of Sorrows surrounded by saints, England, 15th
century, 47 cm x 45.2 cm x 11 cm (inv. no. 1.34)
Alabaster panel showing The
Annunciation, England, 15th century,
42.8 cm x 26.5 cm x 1.5 cm (inv. no.
1.4)
Alabaster panel showing St
George slaying the Dragon,
England, 15th century, 40 cm x
26.8 cm (inv. no. 1.45)

8. Stone figure of The Virgin and Child, Île-
de-France, ca. 1330-40, 128.5 cm x 42 cm x
26 cm (inv. no. 44.2)
Wood carving of The Virgin and Child,
Swabia, ca. 1480-1500, 115.5 cm x 41 cm x 31
cm (inv. no. 50.11)
Wood carving of Saint Stephen, Austria (?),
1410-20, 81.5 cm x 32.5 cm x 18.5 cm (inv. no.
50.30)

9. Ivory mirror case showing the ‘Attack
on the Castle of Love’, France (possibly
Paris), ca. 1340, 12.1 cm x 12.1 cm x 1.5
cm (inv. no. 21.10)
Ivory carving with scenes of the Passion
and saints (panel of a diptych), France ,
ca. 1325-1375, 16.9 cm x 11 cm x 1.2 cm
(inv. no. 21.9)
Wooden miniature cradle or crib, Netherlands, ca. 1480-
1500, 25.3 cm x 19 cm x 11.5 cm (inv. no. 50.239)

10. The ‘Montron Arch’, from the West façade of a church at Montron
(France), 12th century with modern interventions (inv. no. 44.84)
Portal, Spain or Portugal, early 16th century with modern interventions
(inv. no. 44.86)

11. Richard Marks, ‘Mediaeval Sculpture in the Burrell Collection’, Apollo Magazine Ser. NS, vol. 118, 260 (1983) pp. 284-91

12. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, October 2017: Survey of Northern wood carvings with Michael Rief (Ludwig-
Suermondt-Museum, Aachen)

13. Photograph from the Burrell family’s travels to the Netherlands in 1898

14. Photograph from the Burrell family’s travels to the Netherlands in 1898, including
Scottish architect and furniture designer Robert Lorimer (1864-1929)
Wood carving of Christ bound to a column,
from Flagellation scene, Southern Netherlandish
(?), ca. 1475-1500, 51.8 cm x 13.8 cm x 16.7 cm
(inv. no. 50.21)

15. Wood carving of Christ bound to a column,
from Flagellation scene, Southern Netherlandish
(?), ca. 1475-1500, 51.8 cm x 13.8 cm x 16.7 cm
(inv. no. 50.21)
The Burrell Residence at 8 Great Western Terrace, Glasgow, ca.
1905-06

16. Wood carving of The Virgin and Child, Mechelen,
ca. 1500, 37 cm x 14 cm x 65 cm (inv. no. 50.5)
Official daily programme for the 1901 Glasgow International
Exhibition, dated 9th November 1901, 21.5 cm x 31.6 cm x 0.3 cm
(inv. no. PP.1986.310.3.2)

17. The Virgin and Child, Mechelen, ca. 1500, 37 cm x 14
cm x 65 cm (inv. no. 50.5)
The Burrell Residence at 8 Great Western Terrace, Glasgow, ca. 1905-06

18. Sir William Burrell’s ‘Purchase Books’, 28 vols, 1911-1957 (inv. nos 52.1 – 52.28)

19. ‘Purchase book’ for the years 1911-14, p. 1 (inv. no. 52.1)

20. ‘Purchase book’ for the years 1915-1918, p. 21 (inv. no. 52.2)

21. Wood carving of St Barbara, Netherlands (?), early 16th
century, 56 cm x 19.5 cm x 14.5 cm (inv. no. 50.42)
Wood carving of St Barbara, Netherlands (?), 15th century,
96.5 cm x 35.6 cm x 15.3 cm (inv. no. 50.56)

22. Sir William Burrell’s purchases of medieval sculpture, textiles and stained glass from 1911-1957, as documented in his ‘Purchase
Books’

23. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle (photographs taken ca. 1918)
Glasgow Berwick-upon-Tweed
London

24. Sir William Burrell’s purchases of medieval sculpture, textiles and stained glass from 1911-1957, as documented in his ‘Purchase
Books’

25. Glasgow, The Burrell Collection, Reconstruction of the Hutton Castle Drawing Room

26. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Vestibule with ArmourStone figure of The Virgin and Child, Lübeck (?), 15th
century, 71.2 cm x 27 cm x 23 cm (inv. no. 44.3)

27. Wood carving of a female figure, 15th century, 77 cm x 215
cm x 17 cm (inv. no. 50.55)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Vestibule with Armour

28. St John the Divine, 15th century, 69.4
cm x 25 cm x 17.8 cm (inv. no. 44.13)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Vestibule with Armour

29. Alabaster panel showing The Coronation of the Virgin,
England, 15th century, 40.8 cm x 28.4 cm (inv. no. 1.28)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Vestibule with Armour

30. Stone figure of the Virgin and Child, France, 15th century, 91 cm x
30 cm x 27.5 cm (inv. no. 44.5)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Hall

31. Wood carving of St Catherine of Alexandria, France, 15th century,
63.5 cm x 22.5 cm x 22.5 cm (inv. no. 50.43)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Hall

32. Wood carving of St Christopher, Antwerp (?), 1500-10, 79 cm
x 31.5 cm x 22 cm (inv. no. 50.25)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Hall

33. Wood carving of St Roch,ca. 1510-20, 69 cm x 24 cm x 17.5 cm (inv.
no. 50.23)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Hall

34. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Drawing Room St John the Baptist,France or Flanders, 15th century, 82.5
cm x 30.4 cm(inv. no. 50.24)

35. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Drawing Room Wood carving of two male figures, Southern
Netherlandish, ca. 1520, 48.5 cm x 18.5 cm x 14.5 cm
(inv. no. 50.18)

36. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Drawing RoomWood carving of St Anne, the Virgin and
the Christ Child (‘Anna Selbdritt’),South
Germany, 1480-1500, 115 cm x 38.1 cm
(inv. no. 50.14)

37. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Drawing RoomCatalogue Sammlung Dr. Oertel, München: Bildwerke
der Gotik und Renaissance in Holz, Stein und Ton,
vornehmlich deutsche Holzplastik (Berlin: Rudolph
Lepke’s Kunst-Auktions-Haus, 1913)

38. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Drawing RoomWood Carving of Catherine of Alexandria, Netherlands,
1490-1500, 117 cm x 365 cm x 255 cm (inv. no. 50.48)

39. Wood carvings of Two Musician Angels, Tyrol, circle of
Hans Klocker, 1490-1500, 55 cm x 24 cm x 17.7 cm (inv. nos
50.63 and 50.62)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Dining Room

40. Stone figure of the Virgin and Child, 15th Century, 75.5 cm
(inv. no. 44.11)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Dining Room

41. Wood carving of St Mary Magdalene, Bavaria, 1470-90, 86.3
cm x 24.7 cm (inv. no. 50.46)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Upper Hall

42. Wood carving of St John the Baptist, Spain, late 13th century,
121.2 cm (inv. no. 50.28)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Upper Hall

43. Wood carving of the Virgin Mary, Spain, late 13th century
1219.2 mm(inv. no. 50.4)
Wood carving of St John the Baptist, Spain, late 13th century,
121.2 cm (inv. no. 50.28)

44. Wood carving of St John the Baptist, Spain, late 13th century,
121.2 cm (inv. no. 50.28)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Upper Hall

45. Tapestry showing ‘The Pursuit of Fidelity’, Alsace, ca.1475–
1500 (46.28)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Bedroom No. 1

46. Virgin and Child,
Brussels, ca. 1500-1525, 42
cm x 11 cm (inv. no. 50.8)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Bedroom No. 1

47. Enthroned figure, France or Flanders, early 16th century, 40 cm
x 21.2 cm x 63 cm (inv. no. 50.36)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Bedroom No. 2

48. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hutton Castle, Tower
Bedroom
Wood carving of two figures, possibly from a Passion scene,
Antwerp (?), ca. 1500, 56.5 cm x 20.3 cm x 12 cm (50.16)

49. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
IanAnderson
CyrilAndrade
ArnoldSeligmann
BattersbyAntiqueCo
JuliusBöhler
L.Chaundy
Georges-Joseph…
JuliusF.Goldschmidt
LeonGruel
KJHewitt
Kirkhope&Son
LämmleMunich
EnricoTesta
A.Vecht
DavidBlack
Gregory&Co
FrancisHarper
LionelHarris
Beaulieu,A.xxE.…
HenriDaguerre
FADreyGallery
FrankPartridge&…
L.Harding
JacquesSeligmann…
Mrs.Burg
RaoulHeilbronner
JulesMichel
SydneyBurney
JRochelleThomas
GebrBernheimer
L.Jeremy
OwanEvanThomas
FrèresBacri
HenriGarnier
SpanishArtGallery
MurrayAdams-Acton
FrankSurgey
SWWolsey
M&RStora
JohnHunt
ActonSurgeyLTD
Dealers and individuals from whom Sir William Burrell bought medieval sculpture (1911 – 1957)

50. Sir William Burrell’s purchases of medieval sculpture, textiles and stained glass from 1911-1957, as documented in his ‘Purchase
Books’

51. The ‘Montron Arch’, from the West façade of a church at Montron
(France), 12th century with modern interventions (inv. no. 44.84)
Portal, Spain or Portugal, early 16th century with modern interventions
(inv. no. 44.86)

52. Tomb of Don Ramon Peralta y Espes (d. 1348), Catalonia, mid-14th century, 84cm x 15.8cm x 50 cm (inv. no. 44.1)

54. All images © CSG CIC Glasgow
Thank you!
With special thanks to
Isobel MacDonald (Glasgow), Christian Nikolaus Opitz (Vienna) & Michael Rief (Aachen)
Contact::
Michaela Zöschg:
Project Curator | The Burrell Collection | Glasgow
E: michaela.zoschg[at]glasgowlife.org.uk
Burrell Renaissance Project:
E: burrellprojectadmin[at]glasgowlife.org.uk