Abstract
This article discusses the political career of Sir William Burrell (1861–1958) as a Conservative party councillor for Glasgow's Exchange ward (1899–1906) and focuses on the years 1899–1901, in three overlapping arenas: the 1899 municipal elections in which Burrell began his career; Glasgow's civic and business status as the second city of the British empire; and the 1901 international exhibition. By examining Burrell as a skilful operator in all three contexts simultaneously, this article presents him for the first time not only as a powerful Glaswegian businessman who collected art, but also as an adroit politician who exploited both his business success and his curatorial expertise for the benefit of the Conservative and Liberal Unionist cause in the city. His administration and curation of the international exhibition in the new Kelvingrove galleries allowed the dominant Unionist group to present itself to millions of visitors. Burrell's art collection is thus demonstrated to be an important political source.
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