Could famous Bouchardon bust of Sir John Gordon stay in Invergordon?
THE £2.5m bust of a man closely linked to the naming of an Easter Ross town could remain in the Highlands if a community group’s bold business proposal is accepted.
Highland Council was poised to permit the sale of the Bouchardon bust of Sir John Gordon to benefit the Invergordon Common Good Fund.
The proposed export and sale of the bust - bought by Invergordon Town Council in 1930 for £5, lost for decades and now valued at over £2.5m - has been contentious locally.
But the local authority consulted over its future and councillors agreed it could be sold to benefit local projects.
However Invergordon Museum and Heritage Centre - which has objected to its export under the Waverley Criteria - used to decide whether an object should be considered a national treasure and not leave the UK - has tabled plans that could see the bust exhibited locally and seen by thousands of paying cruise line passengers amongst others.
Ahead of a Black Isle and Easter Ross committee meeting next week, at which councillors will be told of the objection, the museum has approached Highland Council, as trustee of the Invergordon Common Good Fund.
It proposes to take on the long-term exhibition and stewardship of the bust in Invergordon.
It says that while it accepts the local authority’s intention to maximize the bust’s financial benefit for the Invergordon Common Good Fund, its alternative to a permanent sale “offers a more substantial, sustainable, and culturally resonant benefit to the community”.
Its objection on the grounds that its departure would be a "misfortune" for the nation, particularly the community of Invergordon, is based on its belief that “the bust is not merely a work of art; it is a tangible link to our town's history and its founder, Sir John Gordon”.
It believes it meets the Waverley Criteria, in two respects:
1. It is of "outstanding significance for the study of some particular branch of art, learning or history, being a masterpiece of a leading French sculptor depicting the founder of our town2.
2. It is of "outstanding aesthetic importance" as a prime example of Edmé Bouchardon's early work.
The sustainable economic model the museum and heritage centre suggests acknowledges that direct purchase is not feasible.
It states: “Therefore, we propose a long-term agreement that generates a consistent, predictable, and sustainable revenue stream for the Invergordon Common Good Fund, which we believe will ultimately exceed the one-off capital injection from a sale.
Under its proposal, the bust would be placed on a long-term loan to the Invergordon Museum for a minimum of up to 30 years. The Invergordon Common Good Fund would retain ownership of the asset.
The bust would be the centrepiece of a dedicated, paid-entry exhibition at the museum. Based on its preliminary analysis of cruise passenger footfall and local tourism, it projects the following revenue:
Annual Cruise Passengers: 200,000-plus
Projected visitors to exhibition: 20,000 per annum (which it says is a conservative estimate of 10 per cent of passengers)
It proposes a ticket price of £5 per person and projected annual gross revenue of £100,000.
The proposal being put to Highland Council is a revenue-sharing model where a significant portion of this income is paid directly to the Invergordon Common Good Fund - up to 80 per cent of all ticket revenue, resulting in an estimated annual payment ofup to £80,000 to the fund.
Its proposal says that over a 30-year period, this would generate up to £2,400,000 in direct, inflation-adjusted payments to the Common Good Fund. It states: “This does not include the additional economic benefits to the town from increased footfall, and the value of retaining the priceless cultural asset.”
Addressing security and insurance concerns previously used by Highland Council as a reason why the bust is not currently on display anywhere, it says it is “confident” it can work with the Scottish Government's Indemnity Scheme, which provides insurance for the display of valuable artworks in public institutions, “effectively removing the financial burden of insuring the bust”.
It said: “We will develop a comprehensive security plan for the exhibition space that meets all professional museum standards.”
Outlining broader community and cultural benefits beyond the direct financial contribution, it says the plan would “ensure the bust, a powerful symbol of Invergordon's history, remains a permanent fixture of our community”.
And it sees the bust as “an invaluable educational resource” for local schools and residents, telling the story of Sir John Gordon and the town's origins.
It believes the bust could also serve as a major new tourist attraction, encouraging cruise passengers to stay in Invergordon and spend money in local shops, cafes, and businesses.
Summing up its proposal, it states: “This offer presents a genuine and viable alternative to selling the Bouchardon bust. It honours the historical connection to Invergordon, respects the need to generate income for the Common Good Fund, and ensures that this national treasure remains in Scotland.
“We believe our proposal offers a greater, more sustainable long-term value for the people of Invergordon than a one-time sale.”
It wants Highland Council to consider the proposal “as a serious and acceptable alternative to the export license”.
Highland Council has been approached for comment.
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