New exhibition celebrates Scottish portraiture

At the City Art Centre a new exhibition celebrating Scottish portraiture opens on Saturday.

Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture showcases a rich selection of historic and contemporary portraits from the City Art Centre’s Scottish art collection.

The work of more than 30 different artists will feature in the exhibition, including: FCB Cadell, Victoria Crowe, Pat Douthwaite, Joan Eardley, David Eustace, George Jamesone, Dorothy Johnstone, John Kay, Sekai Machache, James Pittendrigh MacGillivray, Flannery O’kafka, Henry Raeburn, Allan Ramsay and Maud Sulter.

Portraiture is an age-old artform with a simple purpose – to record the likeness of a human subject. Yet the enduring appeal of portraiture lies in its complexity. Behind every portrait is a series of stories – interwoven narratives about the sitter, the artist, and the circumstances that brought them together.

Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture examines the genre in depth, with a series of highlights from the City Art Centre’s collection. The exhibition spans almost 400 years of artistic production, with examples of painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography.

Among the stand-out historical artworks are Allan Ramsay’s celebrated portrait Katherine Hall of Dunglass (c.1736), James Cadenhead’s sumptuous oil painting Lady with Japanese Screen and Goldfish (1886) and Scottish Colourist FCB Cadell’s masterpiece The Black Hat (1914). Modern and contemporary highlights include Pat Douthwaite’s vibrant homage to Amy Johnson Final Instructions Before Take-Off (1976), Maud Sulter’s impactful self-portrait Calliope (1989) and Sekai Machache’s exploration of symbolism and identity A Hint of Blue I and II (2021).

Curator Dr Helen Scott said: “Portraiture is such a compelling, multi-layered artform. Whether you’re looking at portraits that have been commissioned to publicly commemorate peoples’ lives and achievements, or private portrayals of friends and loved ones that give glimpses into personal relationships, there are so many stories to uncover.

“I’m really looking forward to sharing new research findings with our visitors. We have, for example, recently discovered fresh information regarding a rare 18th century miniature portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie. And we’ll be displaying a number of new acquisitions for the first time, including artworks by Milein Cosman, David Eustace, George Jamesone, John Henry Lorimer and Flannery O’kafka. The exhibition celebrates Scotland’s rich tradition of portraiture, but it also demonstrates how absolutely relevant the genre remains today.

Culture and Communities Convener Cllr Margaret Graham, said: “I am delighted that “Unmasked” will be presented at the City Art Centre from this month. With both historic and contemporary works on display, ‘Unmasked’ highlights the enduring power of portraiture to tell personal, political and cultural stories. Showcasing the work of over 30 artists and spanning 400 years of artistic production including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography, visitors will be able to view old favourites and discover new treasures and the fascinating stories behind the works.”

Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture opens on Saturday 13 September 2025, and continues until 31 May 2026. Admission is free.