Representing the largest art exhibition space within the University of Dundee, the Lamb Gallery is located in the Tower Building on Small's Wynd. It is named after James Charles Lamb (1894 - 1962), a former student of University College Dundee and also a member of the University's Council from 1947 to 1951. In 1960, he gave money which initiated the University's Fine Art Fund and when he died soon after the Tower Building opened in 1961, it was agreed that the exhibition space which had been created on the first floor mezzanine should be named in his honour. Art works from the University's permanent collection are displayed here, alongside temporary exhibitions shown here and in the Foyer Gallery below.
The University holds an extensive collection of fine art, focusing mainly on Scottish artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, including David Allan (1744-96), Rev. John Thomson of Duddingston (1778 - 1840), Sir David Wilkie (1785 - 1841), David Roberts (1796 - 1864), Robert Scott Lauder (1803-69), Sir Joseph Noel Paton (1821 - 1901), Sir William Quiller Orchardson (1832 - 1910) John MacWhirter (1839 - 1911) and Joan Eardley (1921-63). The Glasgow Boys are represented by the works of William McTaggart (1835 - 1910), William York MacGregor (1855 - 1923) and Sir David Young Cameron (1865 - 1945), while the Scottish Colourists in the collection include Samuel John Peploe (1871 - 1935) and F.C.B. Cadell (1883 - 1937). The University of Dundee Museums have more works by James McIntosh Patrick (1907-98) and Dr. Alberto Morrocco (1917-98) than anywhere else, and hold Scotland's only public collection of original comic art.
Further collections were gained following the mergers with Duncan of Jordanstone College and Dundee College of Education, including works by other major Scottish artists such as Sir William Gillies (1898 - 1973) and Sir Robin Philipson (1916-92), an unusual collection of iconic chair designs and textiles gained through the Needlework Development Scheme promoted by Paisley thread manufacturers J. & P. Coats.
