Daniel Cottier, 1837-1891

Apprenticed to a John Cairney & Co glass-stainers in Glasgow at 14 - Rush quoting Gould's statement that "Cairney's apprentices 'learnt to grind and mix their own colours'" implies that Cairney was also a house painter and Cottier was the colour boy who had the 'nauseous' task of mixing the colours. Studied under Madox Brown in London in early 1860's and according to Rush learnt from Morris's experimentation with colour harmonies. In 1862 at age of 24 he went to work for Field & Allen in Leith as foreman designer, Three years later (1865) he opened his own business in Glasgow - key contracts were Townhead Parish Church (work no longer apparently visible here), Dowanhill Parish Church, Glasgow, for the United Presbyterian congregation (now the Cottier Theatre) and under Alexander Thomson, Queen's Park Church, 1867 (now demolished). On 15 June 1866 he married Marion Field daughter of his erstwhile employer William Field, their daughter Isabella Field being born 1 April 1867 to be followed by a son, Archibald, in 1868 who died a year later of whooping cough in Glasgow; later children were born in London. His mother died in 1885, the year after he gave the set of church windows to Kirk Christ Lezayre.

He initially traded in Glasgow but some of his early glass and early experiments in decoration, are in Paisley and in Aberdeen particularly in St. Machar's Cathedral. In 1867 (? 1869) he moved to London and in 1873 opened his New York house, he also opened a branch in Australia - he is considered an important influence on Louis Comfort Tiffany and also credited with introducing the Aesthetic movement to America and Australia. He died of a heart attack at Jacksonville, Florida whilst on holiday and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, New York.

The name Cottier has a long Manx pedigree, no known link to the French Huguenot name though many (e.g. Rush) assume that this is the case.

Lezayre Window

In 1884 a window of more than ordinary interest was placed in the north side. The inscription states that it was erected by Daniel Cottier, Glass-painter, in 1884, in memory of his grandfather, Daniel Cottier, died 1803 ; and of his father, Daniel Cottier, died 1847. The window consists of two lancets, each containing four panels, surrounded by a conventional pattern. The panels represent — reading from top to bottom — on the west, Industria, Temperantia, Caritas, Veritas ; on the east, Modestia, Patientia, Fortitudo, Castitas. The colouring is rich and good. Daniel Cottier belonged to a Lezayre family (his grandfather was buried here on July 12th, 1803). He is the only Manxman, as far as it is known, who attained eminence as a glasspainter.

THIS WINDOW WAS ERECTED BY DANIEL COTTIER, GLASS PAINTER, IN THE YEAR 1884, TO THE MEMORY OF HIS GRANDFATHER DANIEL COTTIER, WHO DIED IN 1803; AND ALSO TO THE MEMORY OF HIS FATHER DANIEL COTTIER WHO DIED IN 1843

References

Journal Manx Museum Sept 1938 vol. IV #56 p47/50

Journal Manx Museum June 1939 vol. IV #59 p125

R D Kermode The Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre Douglas:Norris Modern Press 1954 p62 (see also ProcIoMNH&ASoc IV #3 pp347/359)

Sally Joyce Rush Alexander Thomson, Daniel Cottier and the Interior of Queen's Park Church Chapter 13 in 'Greek' Thomson ed. G. Stamp Edinburgh: University Press 1984 (ISBN 0-7486-1345-5)

B. Gould Two Van Gogh Contacts: E.J.Wisselingh Art Dealer ; Daniel Cottier Glass Painter and Decorator. London 1969 (Typescript at Glasgow Art Galleries) - quoted by Rush.

See also Cottier Theatre - <www.thecottier.com> for some biography and stained glass.

The portrait is attributed to William Brassey Hole (1846-1917)