Series DC 098/1/3 - Ephemera

Haswell Miller was a painter and curator, born in Glasgow, where he studied at The Glasgow School of Art under Maurice Greiffenhagen and Jean Delville, 1906-9, then for a year in Munich. He was married to the artist Josephine Miller. Miller taught at The Glasgow School of Art for 20 years from 1910, apart from during World War I, then was keeper and deputy director of the National Galleries of Scotland, 1930-52. He also held positions with the Royal Fine Arts Commission, National Buildings Record and Scottish Council. He also wrote, especially on military uniforms. He sometimes signed his work H M, and exhibited at RSW, of which he was a member, and RSA, also RA and Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts. Imperial War Museums and Glasgow Museums and Art Galleries hold his work. He lived for many years in Edinburgh but latterly in Gillingham, Dorset. A E Haswell Miller appears on The Glasgow School of Art's First World War Roll of Honour, where he is commemorated as a captain of the Highland Light Infantry. He was decorated with a military cross. If you have any more information, please get in touch.

The Glasgow School of Art Club was formed under Fra. Newbery in 1885/1886 to enable former students access to GSA and allow for informal meetings between staff, former and present students. The Club's activities included exhibitions, "at homes", theatrical productions and the Vacation Prize Scheme, which was developed to encourage sketching and painting in the open during the summer months. The Clubhouse was in Blythswood Square.

A later iteration was established by The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland, in 1969. The Club was affiliated to the Students Union and was therefore open to present students and also current staff. The society's constitution claims that it object was "the provision for for the members thereof of recreational, social and educational facilities." The Club provided a snack bar and licensed bar as well as meeting rooms.

Maurice Grieffenhagen (15 Dec 1862-26 Dec 1931) was a painter of portraits and idyllic subjects, and a poster designer, decorator and illustrator, born in London, of Baltic German descent. he entered the R.A. Schools 1878; and won the Armitage Medal and other awards. From 1887 he was much engaged in book illustration, particularly for Rider Haggard's novels and for periodicals. He was influenced by Rossetti and the Venetians. He exhibited at the R.A., chiefly portraits, from 1884; A.R.A. 1916, R.A. 1922, and also exhibited at Munich, Dresden, Ghent and elsewhere. He taught at Glasgow School of Art 1906-1929. He decorated the British Pavilions for the Paris Exhibition 1925 and Antwerp 1930, but died in London the following year.
Greiffenhagen was appointed as Professor of the Life Classes (with responsibility for Drawing and Painting, Composition and so on) in 1906 and retired from the School in 1929. Greiffenhagen worked at the School for six months of every year. He kept a house in London and visited GSA when necessary to set work and check the progress of his students, leaving much of the actual teaching in the hands of his assistant professors, David Forrester Wilson and others. Greiffenhagen had to be present for examinations, the end of the year diploma show and at other formal occasions but for the most part he was allowed plenty of time to himself to ensure that his own career as an artist did not suffer. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1922 at the same time as another GSA staff member Robert Anning Bell, and a luncheon was held for School staff to celebrate the occasion.