James Duncan

This book casts light on and celebrates the life of a great Scot who was once the Laird of Benmore, now Benmore botanic garden. Whilst most are familiar with the collections of Burrel, few have heard of James Duncan. Yet had Duncan's collection remained intact it would have been internationally recognised and significant to Scottish culture today.The first Scottish collector to purchase an Impressionist painting, Duncan had an extraordinary eye as a collector at a time when Victorian sensibilities frowned upon many modern works. At his estate, Benmore in Argylleshire, Duncan amassed a collection of international import, housed in his own vast gallery and open to the public, along with his other projects a fernery and a sugar refinery.