** artists illustrating boys fashions: nationalities -- Scotland Scottish art








Scottish Artists Illustrating Boys' Fashions



Figure 1.--Here is an unidentified portrait, unfortunately damaged. Because of the tartan I think it is safe to say that the boy is Scottish. We have no idea who the boy is or who painted the portrait. It looks like a 19th century portrait to us.

We have very limited information on Scottish art at this time. Perhaps the greatest Scottish portratist is Allan Ramsay (1713-84). John Fael painted some iterestingbhistorical sdcenes. We have also found some paintings by unknown Scottish artists. We have a portrait of what looks like a Scottish boy by an unknown artist which is probanly a Scottish artist. Hopefully our Scottish readers will provide us some information on Scottish artists.

Allsworth, William (England, 1811-65)

William Allsworth was an English artist spcializing in portraits. He did a Scottish family portrait--the Mckay family bound for New Zealand (1844). It is something of a genre peace. There wre eight children and thus we have wonderful depiction of how boys nd girls of vrious ages were dressed in Scotland during the 1840s. In this case it was hoe wealthy chuldren were dressed. caps, hats, and bonnets, dresses, tunics and pntalettes, and kilts along with wraps, shawls, and sashes. Actually Mccay was not their real name, but what they wanted to be known as in New Zealand. We believe the children clotheswere how they dresses byt the Highland scene was imaginary.

Currie, James (Scotland?, active from 1846)

James Currie is decribed as a 'British' artist. Tht suggests he was active in both Engln and Scotland. We have been able unble to find much information about him. We do not know where he was born. We do know he was active from 1846. We have not found many Currie paintings, but the ones we have found are all portraits. He sems a proessionally competent if not great artist. We was connected with the Brodie family in Scotland and painted several portraits of the family in the mid-19th century. The Brodies were a notable Scottish family since the 12th century. The family estate was Brodie Castle. Currie painted the family of Willim Brodie and his wife Elizabeth Baillie. There were six children: George Gordon (1839- ), Hugh Fife Ashley (1840- ), Caithness Druim (1842- ), and William Douglas (1845- ), and two other children. There do not appear to have been any surviving sisters. Currie has left us several important images as to how children from a rich Scottish family dressed in the mid-19th century.

Faed, John (Scotland, 1819-1902)

John Faeld was a notable Scottish Victorianartist. His life scan almost perfectly mirrored that of the Queen. He was the eldest of the six children of James Faed, a tenant of Barlay Mill, Galloway, and Mary née McGeoch. Two other of their sons, Thomas and James, also became artists, rather unusual for a tenant family. John attended Girthon Parish School where he demostrated a gift for art. Faed like several Victorian artists was mostly known for his religious, literary, and historical scenes. A typical Faed work was 'Queen Queen Margaret's Defiance of the Scottish Parliament' (1859). He exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy almost continually after beginning his artistic career. At the end of his career he was President of the Kirkcudbrightshire Fine Art Association (1899).

Halladay, Michael Frederick (England, 1822-69)

Michael Frederick Halladay was an English genre painter. He was basically a self-taught hobbyest. Not a great artist, but created some fascinating genre works. One of which was a great Highland scene. -- "Two Highland children by a Scottish stream" (1856). We think this was his only Scottish scenem but is useful in out HBC website. Paintings like this are useful in assessing how common kikts were in Scotkand at mid-century.

Mann, Harrington (Scotland, 1864-1937)

Harrington Mann was a Scottish artist. He was born in 1864. He did not know his grandfather, but hisgrandfather's painting my have influenced his father who was an accountant. He began his art studies at the Glasgow School of Art. He also trained in Paris and London. He became part of the Glasgow Boys Movement. While Scottish, he left relatively few Scottish images. His early painting tended to be genre images, local fishing villages and related subject matter. His early work left us wonderful images of northern Britain, primarily Yorkshire rather than Scotland. He eventually turned to portrait painter, presumably because of the sunstantial commissions he could command. As he began to focus on portraits, he moves away to England and America. He is particularly noted for his depictions of children. Some are indeed very good. His use of color is especially notable. All are children of well go do families. Some are more intimate than the Singr nd Whistler portraits. His portraits are infuenced by Whistler and John Singer Sargent. He opened studios in London and New York where he developed a thriving business catering to wealthy calients.

Oppie, John (England, 1761-1807)

John Oppie was an Rnglidh artistm but we notice a Scottish portrait. This is the Scottish Brodie familly which Opie painted about 1805. The boy is William Brodie who would the 22nd Laird of Brodie with his siblings. We are not sure yet who their parents were. William wears a bright red skeleton suit. All the other children wear Empire drsses, both white and colored. We are guessing that some of the younger children are boys. Notice that even though thy are a Scottish Higland family,there is no plaid in sight. William's sons, however, were all dressed in plaid, both plaid dresses and kilts. It is a good example of how populr plaid became in the mid-19th century.

Raeburn, Henry (Scotland, 1746-1823)

Sir Henry Raeburn is perhaps the most well known Scottish painter. He is certainly one of the most highly regarded Scottish portrait painter. His work like the portrait here of the Allen boys is nothing short of brilliant. Raeburn is generally seen as one of the most masterful painters of the Scottish upper classes. This is because he painted portrit for thise who coul pay commissions. The portarits of boys reflect the prevalence of English fashions and the fact that well-to-do Scottish boys werw not wearing kilts in the late-18th and early-19th century. This would change dramtically as the Scottish literary renaissance gus would change dramatically as part of the Scottish renaisance and the Princesssv Victoria's enfatuation with Scotland.

Ramsay, Allan (Scotland, 1713-84)

Most renowned Scottish portrait painter. Ramsay was born in Edinburg, the son of a poet whom he is named after, He was trained in Edinburgh, London, and Rome. He was made the court painter to King George III in 1767, and became one of the most successful portrait artists in England. He executed many portraits of the King and Queen, court intimates, and other celeberties of the day. His masterpiece is a portrait of his wife which hangs in the Scottish National Gallery, Ediburgh. Amercans know Ramsay's work as many of the images of George III during the Revolutionay War were painted by Ramsay. One famous portrait of the king hangs in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.

Robertson, Christina Sanders (Scotland, 1796-1854)

Christina Sanders Robertson was born in Fife, Scotlamd (1796). She is not a well known artist today, but was among the most respected in the 19th century, certainly among the most populr British woman artists. Her father was a coach painter. Her uncle was a successful miniaturist. He taught her to paint and helped her begin her career, at the time unusual for a woman. She was a portratist. She married a fellow-artist James Robertson (1822). they moved to London. Im just a year she was exhibiting at the Royal Academy. Her portraits were so popular that they were engraved so they could be reproduced in ladies's magazines and popular journals. She was popular with clients not only because of here brilliantly relaistic renderings and her tendcy to flatter. Few artistists depicted jewels and clothing in such detail. Although born in Scotland, she is best known for her work in Tsarist Russia society. While a masterful draftsman, modern critics complain that you do not get much of a feeling for personlity as the subjects ar idalied and the impression given are draped in sentimentality and made to look virtuous. Her works were mostly adult aristiocrats and the well-to-do. She painted a few children. Perhaps the best best know is 'Children with a parrot' (1850). The identity of the children is unknown. We do know that the boy was a page at the Russian court because he wears the uniform of St Petersburg's prestigious Corps de Pages. Notice how sweek and virtuous the children are depicted. She had eight children, sonething no other female managed abd she left then home when she first went to Paris and then to St. Petersburg (1839). She painted the Royal family, after which she had no lack of commisions from St. Petersburg socity. She died in St. Petersburg (1854).

Unknown Scottish Artists

We have also found some paintings by unknown Scottish artists. We have a portrait of what looks like a Scottish boy by an unknown artist which is probanly a Scottish artist. It is not always easy to identify unknown paintings as Scottish. The background of the painting, fascial characteristics, and clothing re all possible clues.






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Created: 4:36 AM 12/10/2004
Last updated: 12:31 AM 12/12/2017