Paisley Museum and Art Galleries were gifted to the town of Paisley to the west of Glasgow by the industrialist Sir Peter Coats in 1871 in a building also housing Paisley Library and the Coats Observatory and designed by John Honeyman of the firm of Honeyman and Keppie. The 20th Century collection comprises mainly works by Scottish artists, from the Glasgow School and Scottish Colourists in the first half of the century, and in the second half of the century artists including Joan Eardley, Ian Fleming, Alexander Goudie, Robin Philipson, Steven Campbell and Paisley-born John Byrne. The museum is scheduled to reopen in 2024 after a period of refurbishment.

Artists featured in this Curation: John Byrne (1940–2023), Henry Young Alison (1889–1972), William Birnie (1929–2006), David Bomberg (1890–1957), Stephen Bone (1904–1958), William Alexander Burns (1921–1972), Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell (1883–1937), Steven Campbell (1953–2007), John Vicat Cole (1903–1975), Cecil Collins (1908–1989), and 36 more
46 artworks
Storyline Album Showcase
National Velvet
© John Byrne. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2023. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

National Velvet 1975

John Byrne (1940–2023)

Oil on plywood

H 214 x W 202 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Solitude
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Solitude

Henry Young Alison (1889–1972)

Oil on canvas

H 134 x W 90 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Reclining Odalisque
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Reclining Odalisque

William Birnie (1929–2006)

Oil on canvas

H 60 x W 89 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Bomb Store
© Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Bomb Store 1942

David Bomberg (1890–1957)

Oil on paper

H 35 x W 46.3 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

HMS 'Rodney'
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

HMS 'Rodney'

Stephen Bone (1904–1958)

Oil on canvas

H 34 x W 24 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Sea Mine No. 2
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Sea Mine No. 2

William Alexander Burns (1921–1972)

Oil on canvas

H 98 x W 98 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Blue and White China
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Blue and White China

Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell (1883–1937)

Oil on canvas

H 45 x W 34 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Golden City
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Golden City

Steven Campbell (1953–2007)

Oil on canvas

H 248.2 x W 949.1 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Antique Shop
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Antique Shop

John Vicat Cole (1903–1975)

Oil on canvas

H 49 x W 60 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Head Study
© Tate / Tate Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Head Study 1944

Cecil Collins (1908–1989)

Oil on canvas

H 14 x W 15 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

James Berry in an A. F. S. Uniform
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

James Berry in an A. F. S. Uniform

Hugh Adam Crawford (1898–1982)

Oil on canvas

H 100 x W 85 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Still Life
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Still Life

William Crosbie (1915–1999)

Oil on canvas

H 89 x W 69 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Servicing Station, Gourock
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Servicing Station, Gourock

Charles Ernest Cundall (1890–1971)

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 125 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Grain Market
© reproduced with kind permission of the Cuneo estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Grain Market

Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996)

Oil on canvas

H 62 x W 72 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Dolce far niente
© estate of Stanley Cursiter. All rights reserved, DACS 2023. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Dolce far niente

Stanley Cursiter (1887–1976)

Oil on canvas

H 99 x W 151 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Hallucination with Monster and Cock
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Hallucination with Monster and Cock

Alan Davie (1920–2014)

Oil on canvas

H 122 x W 154 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Portrait of Myself with Malthy
© the Estate of Pat Douthwaite. All rights reserved. DACS 2024. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Portrait of Myself with Malthy

Pat Douthwaite (1934–2002)

Oil on canvas

H 143 x W 113 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Masque of Love
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Masque of Love

John Duncan (1866–1945)

Oil on canvas

H 113 x W 209 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Boy on Stool
© the Eardley estate. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Boy on Stool

Joan Kathleen Harding Eardley (1921–1963)

Oil on canvas

H 91 x W 59 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Le chantier, Royan
© Courtesy of Culture Perth & Kinross Museums & Galleries.. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Le chantier, Royan

John Duncan Fergusson (1874–1961)

Oil on canvas

H 53 x W 63 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Machair
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Machair

Ian Fleming (1906–1994)

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 60 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Houses at Arbroath
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Houses at Arbroath

Jean Fleming (1937–1988)

Oil on canvas

H 61 x W 72 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Still Life with Fruit
© Royal Scottish Academy / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Still Life with Fruit

William George Gillies (1898–1973)

Oil on canvas

H 48 x W 26 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Portrait of the Artist and His Family
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Portrait of the Artist and His Family

Alexander Goudie (1933–2004)

Oil on canvas

H 214 x W 184 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Paisley Shawl
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Paisley Shawl 1924

George Henry (1858–1943)

Oil on canvas

H 68 x W 59 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Loch Long
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Loch Long

Violet MacNeish Kay (1914–1971)

Oil on canvas

H 70 x W 90 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Saw Ohn Nyun, Princess of Burma
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Saw Ohn Nyun, Princess of Burma

Gerald Festus Kelly (1879–1972)

Oil on canvas

H 63 x W 52 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Renfrewshire Landscape
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Renfrewshire Landscape

Bet Low (1924–2007)

Oil on canvas

H 99 x W 89 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Poppies
© by permission of the artist's family. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Poppies 1964

William MacTaggart (1903–1981)

Oil on canvas

H 74 x W 58 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Church and Houses
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Church and Houses

John Maxwell (1905–1962)

Oil on canvas

H 68 x W 88 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Boats and Houses at Clachtoll
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Boats and Houses at Clachtoll

David McClure (1926–1998)

Oil on canvas

H 48 x W 57 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Midnight
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Midnight

Charles James McCall (1907–1989)

Oil on canvas

H 80 x W 43 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Landscape
© John Maclauchlan Milne, courtesy of Portland Gallery, London. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Landscape

John Maclauchlan Milne (1885–1957)

Oil on canvas

H 52 x W 71 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Low Tide, Benham
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Low Tide, Benham before 1970

Alberto Morrocco (1917–1998)

Oil on canvas

H 59 x W 80 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Kirkcudbright
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Kirkcudbright

Samuel John Peploe (1871–1935)

Oil on canvas

H 32 x W 39 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Fallen Soldier
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

The Fallen Soldier

Robin Philipson (1916–1992)

Oil on canvas

H 133 x W 88 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Rue des Partants
© ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2023. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Rue des Partants

Alphonse Quizet (1885–1955)

Oil on canvas

H 57 x W 71 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Mrs Ramsay
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Mrs Ramsay after 1923

David Prophet Ramsay (1888–1944)

Oil on canvas

H 125 x W 100 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Shell of San Christora
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Shell of San Christora

Anne Redpath (1895–1965)

Oil on canvas

H 68 x W 90 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

La Porte Saint-Denis
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

La Porte Saint-Denis

Walter Richard Sickert (1860–1942)

Oil on canvas

H 74 x W 44 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Girl with a Doll
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Girl with a Doll

Robert Sivell (1888–1958)

Oil on canvas

H 50 x W 39 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

War News
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

War News

William Strang (1859–1921)

Oil on canvas

H 53 x W 44 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Summer at Whitcombe
Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Summer at Whitcombe

Alick Riddell Sturrock (1885–1953)

Oil on canvas

H 74 x W 60 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Harbour Scene
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Harbour Scene

James Watt (1931–2022)

Oil on canvas

H 54 x W 90 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Renfrewshire Landscape
© with kind permission of the Wyllie family. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Renfrewshire Landscape 1963

Gordon Hope Wyllie (1930–2005)

Oil on canvas

H 72 x W 95 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Children in a Sandpit
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Children in a Sandpit

Margaret Isobel Wright (1884–1957)

Oil on canvas

H 58 x W 57 cm

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, Renfrewshire Council Collections

Explore artists in this Curation

View all 46
  • Fisher Houses, Arbroath
    Ian Fleming (1906–1994)
  • The Boulevard Sérurier
    Alphonse Quizet (1885–1955)
  • Loch Long
    Violet MacNeish Kay (1914–1971)
  • Ca d'Oro, Venezia
    Alberto Morrocco (1917–1998)
  • L'Estaque
    John Maclauchlan Milne (1885–1957)
  • Cathedral Interior, Thanksgiving
    Robin Philipson (1916–1992)
  • Sacrifice
    Alan Davie (1920–2014)
  • Lady with a Red Hat
    William Strang (1859–1921)
  • Sea Town
    William Alexander Burns (1921–1972)
  • Melting Snow, Kilbarchan
    William Birnie (1929–2006)
  • View all 46
View all