After training as a carver under
William Mossman I
in 1837,
he worked closely with the Mossman family of sculptors on many of
their commissions for architectural sculpture.
He came to brief prominence
with his Trial by Jury frieze
on the City and County
Buildings, 40-50 Wilson Street (1842-4), which he copied for the interior of the Justiciary
Courthouse, Saltmarket (1845, dest. 1910-13); and is believed to have been
responsible for the medallion busts of Roman Emperors at the entrance to the former Glasgow Academy,
94 Elmbank Street (1846-7); and the corbel heads and bust of Queen Victoria on the former Wilson &
Matheson Warehouse, 42 Glassford Street (c. 1860, attributions: Nisbet).
Another major work by Buchan is the frieze illustrating International Commerce on the former Merchants House,
70-4 Hutcheson Street (1845), which was copied directly from Bertal Thorvalsen's frieze, Triumphal Entry of Alexander into Babylon, in the Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, Italy (c. 1826), and for which Buchan was paid £56 16s. 4d. on 22 August 1843.
In the 1850s he was employed as a carver on Leeds
Town Hall and at the Houses of Parliament, London,
and after returning to Glasgow, he became a favourite assistant of
John Mossman
, with whom he
collaborated on the colossal relief
s for the Queen's Rooms, 1 La Belle
Place (1857-8, now Hindu Mandir).
These depict the rise of civilization and progress, and were mentioned in the press for the quality
of their carving and the accuracy of the portraits incorporated into the scheme, including the building's architect, Charles Wilson;
its owner, David Bell of Blackhall, his wife depicted as Minerva; and the wealthy art patrons, Stevenson Dalglish
and Robert Hutchison, all carved by Buchan from Mossman's models.
He was also responsible for the colossal armorial group at the apex of the building's pediment, which was lost in the early
20th century, and the carver-work on the tenement adjoining the building, 2-5 La Belle Place, which was also designed by Wilson for
David Bell, and which features medallion busts and symbols celebrating Bell's name and his interest in Freemasonry (1857).
Buchan eventually moved to London but died there in poverty in April 1878, despite
John Mossman
's efforts
to assist him.
His posthumous reputation, however, was rescued
from obscurity by sculptor
Archibald Macfarlane Shannan
,
when he exhibited plaster copies of the Justiciary Courthouse
Trial by Jury frieze at the Corporation Galleries in 1911.
This was after a decision was made to destroy the originals during the building's reconstruction in 1910.
Shannan's plaster copies replaced these in the new building soon afterwards.
Sources:
- Gildard
;
- GG
[Queen's Rooms],23 January, 1858, p. 4;
- A
, [Obit: Buchan], 13 April, 1878;
- A
, [Obit: J. Mossman], 26 September, 1890;
- Nisbet, in
McKenzie (2002)
;
- McKenzie (1999).
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Works in our Database: | | 1: La Belle Place (Kelvingrove), Former Queen's Rooms, 1 La Belle Place Narrative Friezes, Portraits, Trophies and Associated Decorative Carving (1857-8) Sculptors: J Mossman assisted by W Buchan; Architect: C Wilson; Builder: W York | 2: Wilson Street (Merchant City), Former City and County Buildings, 40-50 Wilson Street, 70-4 Hutcheson Street, 117 Brunswick Street, On the stylobate of the Wilson street façade Trial by Jury (1844) Sculptor: W Buchan, Architects: Clarke & Bell | 3: Wilson Street (Merchant City), Former City and County Buildings, 40-50 Wilson Street, 70-4 Hutcheson Street, 117 Brunswick Street, On the entablature of Hutcheson Street façade International Commerce (1843) Sculptor: W Buchan; Architects: Clarke & Bell | Open Full Sculpture Database |
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