David Ramsay Hay
Encyclopedia
David Ramsay Hay Scottish decorator and colour theorist.
David Ramsay Hay was the son of a published poet and friend of Robert Burns
, Rebekah Carmichael. After her husband died, David was educated at the expense of an uncle, then apprenticed as a painter with the house-painters Gavin Beugo & Robertson in Edinburgh, as was his friend the topographical artist David Roberts
. In April 1820 he commenced work at Abbotsford
for Walter Scott
. In 1850 he decorated Holyroodhouse for Queen Victoria. In the 1920s, Queen Mary
had these decorative schemes painted over, but watercolours commissioned by Victoria in 1863 give some idea of their appearance.
Hay was an advocate of imitative finishes such as graining and marbling, and textured paints to imitate brocade fabrics. From 1828, he developed his theory of colour harmony over six successive editions of his book, The Laws of Harmonious Colouring Adapted to Interior Decorations.
David Ramsay Hay was the son of a published poet and friend of Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
, Rebekah Carmichael. After her husband died, David was educated at the expense of an uncle, then apprenticed as a painter with the house-painters Gavin Beugo & Robertson in Edinburgh, as was his friend the topographical artist David Roberts
David Roberts (painter)
David Roberts RA was a Scottish painter. He is especially known for a prolific series of detailed lithograph prints of Egypt and the Near East that he produced during the 1840s from sketches he made during long tours of the region . These, and his large oil paintings of similar subjects, made him...
. In April 1820 he commenced work at Abbotsford
Abbotsford House
Abbotsford is a historic house in the region of the Scottish Borders in the south of Scotland, near Melrose, on the south bank of the River Tweed. It was formerly the residence of historical novelist and poet, Walter Scott...
for Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
. In 1850 he decorated Holyroodhouse for Queen Victoria. In the 1920s, Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
had these decorative schemes painted over, but watercolours commissioned by Victoria in 1863 give some idea of their appearance.
External links
- National Portrait Gallery page with biography of Hay
- Carmichael, Rebekah, Poems by Miss Carmichael, Edinburgh (1790) (list of subscribers names of interest)
- Hay, David Ramsay, The Laws of Harmonious Colouring Adapted to Interior Decorations, 3rd edition (1836)
- Hay, David Ramsay, The Laws of Harmonious Colouring Adapted to Interior Decorations, 6th edition (1847) digitised by Historic ScotlandHistoric ScotlandHistoric Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
- Hay, David Ramsay, Proportion or, The Laws of Beauty Analysed, Blackwood (1843)
- Hay, David Ramsay, The Principles of Beauty in Colouring Systematized, Blackwood (1845)
- Hay, David Ramsay, First Principles of Symmetrical Beauty, Blackwood (1846)
- Hay, David Ramsay, The Natural Principle of Beauty, as developed in the Human Figure, Blackwood (1852)
- Hay, David Ramsay, The Harmonic Law of Nature Applied to Architectural Design, Blackwood (1855)
- Hay, David Ramsay, The Science of Beauty: as developed in Applied Art and Nature, Blackwood (1856)