Alex Reid (art dealer)

Alexander Reid (1854–1928) was a Glasgow art dealer, and friend of James Abbott McNeill Whistler and Vincent van Gogh. He was one of the most influential art dealers in Europe in the early 20th century, exhibiting and selling artworks by some of the finest artists of his period, including the Impressionists, the Post-Impressionists, the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists. He helped build up the French painting collection of Sir William Burrell.[1] and many of the works he dealt with now feature in major private, civic and national art collections all over the world.[2][3]

Van Gogh's portrait of Alex Reid, c. 1887
Alexander Reid by Benno Schotz 1927

Reid’s Glasgow-based art gallery, La Société des Beaux-Arts, was located at 117 West George St, from 1904 until 1932, continuing for four years after his death in the magnificent Sun Life Insurance Building designed by William Leiper.[4] After 82 years Reid's former gallery reopened in 2014 as Leiper Fine Art.[5]

In 1928, he joined forces with Earnest Lefevre to open the Lefevre Gallery in London.[6]

References
  1. The Oxford Dictionary of Art - Page 115 Ian Chilvers - 2004 "His interests were extremely diverse, but his collection became particularly strong in medieval art and in 19th century French painting (some of his finest pictures were bought from the Glasgow dealer Alex Reid (1854–1928), who helped to .."
  2. Frances Fowle Van Gogh's Twin: The Scottish Art Dealer Alexander Reid 1854-1928 2010
  3. Jack Webster From Dalí to Burrell: the Tom Honeyman story 1997 Page 47 "Having met Whistler in the French capital, he became a very close friend and sold many of the artist s most important works to Scottish collectors. That was how Whistler became godfather to Alex Reid's son. Reid had to work hard at interesting ..."
  4. A Man of influence, Alex Reid, 1854-1928, 1967
  5. "New Glasgow gallery notes its connection to Van Gogh and beyond". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  6. Gleadell, Colin (12 January 2002). "London out of the picture as gallery closes". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
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