| Description | Material relating to Dyce's life, correspondence and writings compiled by his son James Stirling Dyce. Dyce's writings have been organised into chapters as follows: I. Family and boyhood, essay on electro magnetism and notes on the garments of Jewish priests, 1806-1830 (fiche 1-2)., II. Essay on the Jesuits (incomplete) andcorrespondence mainly regarding portraiture, 1830-1837 (2-3)., III. School of Design (part 1) and letter to Lord Meadowbank, 1837 (3)., IV. School of Design (part 2) and report for School of Design (on return from continent), 1835 (3-4)., V. School of Design (part 3), 1838-1840 (4)., VI. School of Design (part 4), 1838-1840 and address given at opening of Spitalfield School of Design, 1841 (4-5)., VII. School of Design (part 5), 1841 (5)., VIII. Proposal for Museum of Archaeology of the Arts of Great Britain, n.d. and School of Design (part 6), n.d. (6)., IX. School of Design (part 7), introduction to the drawing book of the School of Design and address given at York at opening of their School of Design, n.d. (6)., X. School of Design (part 8) and letter to Manchester School, 1842-1843 (7)., XI. Lecture delivered at King's College 'On Christian Art', 1844 (7)., XII. School of Design (part 9), 1843-1845 (7-8)., XIII. 'On ecclesistical architecture - a defence of anglican?', 1841 (8-9)., XIV. Four articles on church music, 1841 (9-10)., XV. Preface and appendix to 'Book of Common Prayer with Plain Tune', 1842 (10-12)., XVI. Letter to Mr Jecc in 'English Churchman', common prayer with plain-song, letter in 'English Churchman' re Vice Chancellor of Oxford and form and manner of laying the foundation stone of a church, n.d. (12)., XVII. Plain-tune: an article in the christian rememberances, 1844 (12-13)., XVIII. Correspondence, 1844 (14)., XIX. Two letters on the term 'use' in ritual language, 1844 (14)., XX. Royal Commission on Frescoes, correspondence with Sir Charles Eastlake, 1841 (14-15)., XXI. Notes on frescoes in Italy and correspondence with Eastlake, 1845-1846 (15-16)., XXII. Sixth report of the Commissioners on the Fine Arts and 'Observations on Fresco Painting', 1846-1847 (16-17)., XXIII. Royal Scottish Academy, 1846 (17-18)., XXIV. School of Design (part 1) and correspondence, 1846-1848 (18-19)., XXV. School of Design (part 2) and lecture on ornament, 1848 (19-20)., XXVI. Correspondence, 1847-1848 (20)., XXVII. The frescoes in the Queen's robing room, 1848 (20-21)., XXVIII. Correspondence, 1848-1851 (21-22)., XXIV. Letter to Ruskin and 'Notes on Shepherds and Sheep', 1851-1852 (22-23)., XXX. Letter to the National Gallery re formation and management, 1853 (23-25)., XXXI. Article on Sunday observance, 1853 (25-26)., XXXII. Plan for redecoration of East and West sides of Royal Academy and letter on fresco technique, 1853 (26)., XXXIII. Correspondence, 1853-1856 (26)., XXXIV. Article on Dulwich College and related correspondence, 1855 (26-28)., XXXV. Letters to W. Scott, 1855-1856 (28)., XXXVI. Glass designs and staining for St Paul's Alnwick, Ely Cathedral, 1853-1857 (28-29)., XXXVII. Frescoes in All Saints Margaret Street and correspondence, n.d. (29)., XXXVIII. Oxford art examinations, 1857-1859 (29-30)., XXXIX. Correspondence, including letter re Sunday observance and letter to Dean and Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral, 1859-1860 (30)., XL. Correspondence, 1860-1862 (31)., XLI. Royal Academy, 1863 (31)., XLII. Correspondence including some relating to WD's death, 1863-1864 (31). |
| Administrative History | William Dyce was born in Aberdeen in 1806. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and Marischal College. He studied at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh and the Royal Academy Schools, London. He visited Italy and became one of the first British students of early Italian Renaissance painting. Dyce went on to produce oil and watercolours, frescoes and designs for stained glass. His subjects were often religious. In 1835 Dyce was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy. He was elected RA in 1848. In 1844 Dyce was chosen as one of the artists to produce a series of frescoes for the Houses of Parliament. He produced 'Baptism of Ethelbert' and the unfinished 'King Arthur' series. Dyce was also known as a leader of the Hign Church Movement, a chorister, a composer and an important figure in the establishment of state art education in the UK. William Dyce died in 1864. |
| Custodial History | Loaned to the Archive for filming by Aberdeen Museum and Art Gallery. |