author
1868–1951
A Glasgow architect and artist, he captured the city’s streets, buildings, and atmosphere with a sharp eye for detail. His best-known book offers a lively visual portrait of early 20th-century Glasgow.
John Nisbet (1868–1951) was a Scottish architect, etcher, and painter closely associated with Glasgow. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art from 1887 to 1891, returned for further study in 1901 to 1902, and later set up his own architectural practice in Glasgow around 1900.
Alongside his architectural work, he built a reputation as an artist and exhibited with the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts until 1922. His book Glasgow: A Sketch Book is especially remembered for its illustrated view of the city, bringing together streets, landmarks, and everyday scenes in a way that feels both observant and affectionate.
That mix of practical design and visual storytelling gives his work its lasting appeal. For listeners interested in place, history, and the changing life of a city, his work offers a vivid window into Glasgow in the early 1900s.