Maquette for Hunterian Gallery doors

The present work is a 1:2 working model for Paolozzi's large aluminium doors which form the entrance from the foyer to the Main Gallery of the Hunterian Art Gallery in Glasgow. Sir William Whitfield and Partners were the architects of the Art Gallery Extension (1962-1981), and the ideas for these doors came from Paolozzi during a discussion with Whitfield in 1974. Paolozzi developed the designs and a small scale maquette at a scale of 1:6 in wood, was made for him by talented model maker Ray Watson. Deemed too expensive to cast in bronze, the decision arose to cast the doors in aluminium, and the present work, a 1:2 scale model in plaster was made. These plaster maquettes were shown at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh in 1976, with the Scottish Arts Council offering financial support to realise the project, and with Charles Henshaw Ltd of Edinburgh chosen to do the castings. Paolozzi and Ray Watson scaled up the reliefs in plaster to their full-scale for casting: the doors were cast in early 1977, shown at the Hayward Annual in May 1977, and finally finished and installed in April 1981. It is believed that the motif of groups of squares which occurs often is a homage from Paolozzi to the Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

We are very grateful to Judith Collins for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.


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