William Crozier

• Reference:GB 2610 GMA A77
• Dates of Creation:1920 - 1930
• Physical Description:
  1 metre

• Scope and Content

  Books, documents, sketchooks, drawings, photographs and documentation from the studio of William Crozier. The archive is divided into two sections reflecting two separate accessions:

  /1. Manuscript postcard; annotated books and catalogues belonging to William Crozier.

  /2. 4 sketchbooks,1920s; 9 bundles drawings from sketchbooks, 1920s; photographs and documentation

  (3 boxes)

• Administrative / Biographical History

  William Crozier ARSA was born in Edinburgh in 1893. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art, a friend and fellow student of Anne Redpath, William Gillies and William MacTaggart. In 1923 he was awarded a Carnegie Travelling Scholarship which allowed him to travel to France with fellow students from Edinburgh College of Art, William Gillies and William Geissler. He spent time in Paris studying with the cubist painter André Lhôte. He also travelled to Italy, where he was captivated by the bright sunlight which cast deep shadows. Crozier later attempted to capture this intense light, as he was to adopt the lessons of Cubism, in his own work. In 1928 he shared the RSA Guthrie award for one of his rare portrait paintings 'The Cello Player'. During the 1920s he shared a studio in Frederick Street, Edinburgh with William MacTaggart with whom he made frequent visits France, Italy and Holland. After suffering ill health all his life due to haemophilia, Crozier died aged thirty-seven, following a fall in his studio.

• Access Information

  The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Archives and Special Collections are open Monday - Friday, 10.00 - 1.00 and 2.00 - 4.30 by appointment only. Please contact Modern2ReadingRoom@nationalgalleries.org to arrange a time to visit. As we are a small team, we request that you get in touch 1 – 2 weeks before you intend to visit so that we can check availability.

• Conditions Governing Use

  All material is subject to copyright restrictions. Requests to reproduce original material should be made to the National Galleries of Scotland’s Image Licensing team (https://www.nationalgalleries.org/copyright-image-licensing)

• Custodial History

  /1. On Crozier's death in 1930 the material passed to the ownership of William MacTaggart who bequeathed it to the SNGMA Archive 1981; /2. Purchased 2004

• Related Material

  The SNGMA Collection holds work Crozier; the SNPG has a 'Self Portrait' (PG 2587); see also GMA A23 William Gillies; GMA A24 William MacTaggart Archive; GMA A46 1922 Group