Exhibitions of Art will add to a busy summer programme of events at Traquair

Traquair will host a range of exhibitions this summer which range from a fascinating insight into the lives of Servants at Traquair drawn from their own archives, to a summer art exhibition featuring the work of Sir William Gilles RSA; one of Scotland’s finest landscape painters of the 20^th century. Finally, Traquair is delighted to welcome the return of “Icons on Ammo Boxes” featuring the work of professional Ukranian icon artists who present their work on ammo boxes brought back from the front.

Spotlight on the Servants

In the High Gallery, the new exhibition drawn from the archives is an intriguing insight into the lives of the servants at Traquair through the centuries. From the earliest records dating back to the 1600’s when payment could be part paid in kind and the cash wages could be months or even years later, to some incredibly loyal servants and companions through the 1700’s and 1800’s who shared the family’s Catholic faith and Jacobite sympathies.

The exhibition will run until 5^th August, and then again from the 21^st September to 31^st October in the High Gallery on the top floor of the House. (House closed Fridays in September and October)

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Sir William Gillies RSA – A Love of Landscape

As part of the RSA200: Celebrating Together programme we are delighted to be hosting an exhibition of the work of Sir William Gillies RSA in the High Gallery titled “A Love of Landscape”

Gillies lived and worked for many years in Temple, Midlothian and had a particular love and deep connection for the landscape of the Scottish Borders as well as the Lothians. He had a strong friendship with George Scott-Moncrieff who lived in the village of Traquair and this exhibition has been made possible with the generous loan of works from the RSA.

The exhibition will run from Sunday 9^th August to Thursday 17^th September in the High Gallery on the top floor of the House. (House closed Fridays in September and October)

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Icons on Ammo Boxes

TRANSFORMING DEATH INTO LIFE

We are delighted to be able to host a new exhibition of Icons on Ammo boxes first shown in 2025.

This innovative project is a joint initiative of two Kyivan artists and spouses, Sofia Atlantova and Oleksandr Klymenko, and the Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH), an NGO that engages civilian medics to provide medical aid to both militants and civilians in the armed conflict areas in Eastern Ukraine.

The main idea of the art project is the transformation of death (symbolized by ammo boxes) into life (traditionally symbolized by icons in Ukrainian culture). The receipts from the icons sale go the PFVMH to support activities of its volunteer medics.

The artists paint the icons on the lids, bottoms, and other fragments of wooden ammunition boxes that are brought from the combat zone by PFVMH volunteers as well as servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guards of Ukraine.

The icons will be on display in the Catholic Chapel at Traquair House from Saturday 26^th July to Thursday 1^st October. Icons and prints will be available for sale during this time.

For all exhibitions there is free entry for season pass holders or included in your grounds ticket. If you are coming specifically to see one of the exhibitions in the house you can obtain a voucher at the entry gate.