David Young Cameron
Encyclopedia
Sir David Young Cameron (28 June 1865 – 16 September 1945) was a Scottish
painter
and etcher.
, Scotland
. From around 1881 he studied at the Glasgow School of Art
and in 1885 enrolled at the Edinburgh Schools of Art. Cameron became a skilled etcher making a name for himself in this medium and gaining international recognition by the 1890s. He was elected associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers
(RE) in 1889. In 1895 he was elected Fellow of the RE. He exhibited regularly from 1889 to 1902, before resigning his membership in 1903.
His subjects included architectural studies, of which he produced a number of popular ‘sets’ and landscapes. He received various medals and awards for his etchings. It was during this time that he published a number of sets of etchings (such as "The Clyde Set", "The North Holland Set" and "The North Italian Set"). In general his prints feature areas of great darkness, offset by highlights. Cameron would later become known for his church interiors and barren landscapes of Scotland done in drypoint
. The feathery lightness of these drypoints was in visual contrast with the rock and water of the subjects. He became highly sought after by collectors, until the Great Crash in 1929 brought a collapse in prices for prints in general. He exploited his popularity by producing an unprecedented number of states
of his prints, and is believed to hold the record at twenty-eight states in one case.
As well as becoming well known as an etcher the artist also produced a great many oil paintings and watercolour sketches of landscapes and architectural subjects. Cameron’s earliest known oil painting dates to 1883. His work was influenced by the Glasgow Boys and the Hague School
. His first exhibition of 14 paintings received mixed reviews. Amongst the many good reviews others described his work as lacking in subtlety and substance with too much concentration on decoration. This was due in part to his romanticising of his subjects. From 1900 he stopped exhibiting portraits and figure studies, concentrating solely on landscapes and architectural subjects in both his painting and etching.
In 1899 Cameron and his wife moved to Kippen
in the Scottish Highlands
. This was near to Stirling
with views of Ben Lomond
and across to Stirling Castle
. They lived in the village for rest of their lives, as well as keeping a house in London
. They also made regular trips abroad including visits throughout Italy
and France
. Italy provided the inspiration for a number of etchings of architectural subjects, with church interiors proving successful. His etchings, which examined light and shade, again show the influence of the Hague School as well as Whistler and Rembrandt.
In 1901 Cameron became a member of the anti-Royal Academy
society the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, (later The International) that had been founded by Whistler in 1898. He exhibited with the society from 1898 and later served on its council. Following his resignation from the RE, Cameron and 11 other artists formed The Society of Twelve in 1904 with the objective to promote the original print. He became a member of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolour in 1906. He was elected Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy
(RsA) in 1904 (on his 6th attempt) and became RsA in 1918. Having previously been elected Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in the engraver class in 1911, in 1916 he was also elected ARA for his painting. He was elected a full Royal Academician (RA) in 1920. During these years Cameron’s work was also exhibited at the Royal Society of Oil Painters, the Royal Glasgow Institute
, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, as well as showing in overseas exhibitions.
After 1907 Cameron’s work showed a greater focus on Scottish landscape subjects and from 1908 to 1917 he moved from etching to painting. Around this time he largely stopped including figures in his compositions, apart from in his architectural studies. By this time his works were receiving wide critical acclaim and he was well known both in the UK and abroad. Around 1908 his work began to lighten in colour, prior to this Cameron’s work had been criticised for being too dark with a heavy use of brown tones. Visits to France and Italy in the 1920s seemed to have a further influence on his works and brought about a much brighter palette. His painting can be characterised by an interest in tone and design over colour and detail. At the same time there was a shift in influence away from the Glasgow Boys and their decorative style and he became known for his atmospheric highland landscapes.
Cameron was well known and liked in the art world and held a great many appointments to societies and boards. On the retirement of RsA president Sir James Guthrie in 1919, it was suggested that Cameron stand for the presidency. Cameron declined however, citing too many existing responsibilities in London.
In 1917-18 Cameron was commissioned by the Canadian Government to paint the war in France. Cameron was knighted in 1924 and was a Trustee of the Tate Gallery
from 1921 to 1927 and the Scottish National Galleries, and was the King’s Painter and Limner
in Scotland 1933.
Cameron died in Perth, Scotland
on 16th September 1945.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and etcher.
Biography
Cameron was the son of the Rev. Robert Cameron and was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. From around 1881 he studied at the Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
and in 1885 enrolled at the Edinburgh Schools of Art. Cameron became a skilled etcher making a name for himself in this medium and gaining international recognition by the 1890s. He was elected associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers
Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers
The Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, until 1991 the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers is an art institution based in London, England. The Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers was a society of etchers established in London in 1880 and given a Royal Charter in 1888...
(RE) in 1889. In 1895 he was elected Fellow of the RE. He exhibited regularly from 1889 to 1902, before resigning his membership in 1903.
His subjects included architectural studies, of which he produced a number of popular ‘sets’ and landscapes. He received various medals and awards for his etchings. It was during this time that he published a number of sets of etchings (such as "The Clyde Set", "The North Holland Set" and "The North Italian Set"). In general his prints feature areas of great darkness, offset by highlights. Cameron would later become known for his church interiors and barren landscapes of Scotland done in drypoint
Drypoint
Drypoint is a printmaking technique of the intaglio family, in which an image is incised into a plate with a hard-pointed "needle" of sharp metal or diamond point. Traditionally the plate was copper, but now acetate, zinc, or plexiglas are also commonly used...
. The feathery lightness of these drypoints was in visual contrast with the rock and water of the subjects. He became highly sought after by collectors, until the Great Crash in 1929 brought a collapse in prices for prints in general. He exploited his popularity by producing an unprecedented number of states
State (printmaking)
A state, in printmaking, is a different form of a print, caused by a deliberate and permanent change to a matrix such as a copper plate or woodblock ....
of his prints, and is believed to hold the record at twenty-eight states in one case.
As well as becoming well known as an etcher the artist also produced a great many oil paintings and watercolour sketches of landscapes and architectural subjects. Cameron’s earliest known oil painting dates to 1883. His work was influenced by the Glasgow Boys and the Hague School
Hague School
The Hague School is the name given to a group of artists who lived and worked in The Hague between 1860 and 1890. Their work was heavily influenced by the realist painters of the French Barbizon school. The painters of the Hague school generally made use of relatively sombre colours, which is why...
. His first exhibition of 14 paintings received mixed reviews. Amongst the many good reviews others described his work as lacking in subtlety and substance with too much concentration on decoration. This was due in part to his romanticising of his subjects. From 1900 he stopped exhibiting portraits and figure studies, concentrating solely on landscapes and architectural subjects in both his painting and etching.
In 1899 Cameron and his wife moved to Kippen
Kippen
Kippen is a small village approximately west of the city of Stirling, Scotland. It lies between the Gargunnock and Fintry hills and overlooks the strath of the River Forth. The name is believed to come from Scottish Gaelic, ceapan, meaning "place of the little stump", "outcrop" or "block". The...
in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
. This was near to Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
with views of Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond , , is a distinctive mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, it is the most southerly of the Munros...
and across to Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
. They lived in the village for rest of their lives, as well as keeping a house in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They also made regular trips abroad including visits throughout Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Italy provided the inspiration for a number of etchings of architectural subjects, with church interiors proving successful. His etchings, which examined light and shade, again show the influence of the Hague School as well as Whistler and Rembrandt.
In 1901 Cameron became a member of the anti-Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
society the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, (later The International) that had been founded by Whistler in 1898. He exhibited with the society from 1898 and later served on its council. Following his resignation from the RE, Cameron and 11 other artists formed The Society of Twelve in 1904 with the objective to promote the original print. He became a member of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolour in 1906. He was elected Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
(RsA) in 1904 (on his 6th attempt) and became RsA in 1918. Having previously been elected Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in the engraver class in 1911, in 1916 he was also elected ARA for his painting. He was elected a full Royal Academician (RA) in 1920. During these years Cameron’s work was also exhibited at the Royal Society of Oil Painters, the Royal Glasgow Institute
Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts
The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts is an independent organisation in Glasgow, founded in 1861, which promotes contemporary art and artists in Scotland. It is the third largest organization of its kind in the United Kingdom...
, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, as well as showing in overseas exhibitions.
After 1907 Cameron’s work showed a greater focus on Scottish landscape subjects and from 1908 to 1917 he moved from etching to painting. Around this time he largely stopped including figures in his compositions, apart from in his architectural studies. By this time his works were receiving wide critical acclaim and he was well known both in the UK and abroad. Around 1908 his work began to lighten in colour, prior to this Cameron’s work had been criticised for being too dark with a heavy use of brown tones. Visits to France and Italy in the 1920s seemed to have a further influence on his works and brought about a much brighter palette. His painting can be characterised by an interest in tone and design over colour and detail. At the same time there was a shift in influence away from the Glasgow Boys and their decorative style and he became known for his atmospheric highland landscapes.
Cameron was well known and liked in the art world and held a great many appointments to societies and boards. On the retirement of RsA president Sir James Guthrie in 1919, it was suggested that Cameron stand for the presidency. Cameron declined however, citing too many existing responsibilities in London.
In 1917-18 Cameron was commissioned by the Canadian Government to paint the war in France. Cameron was knighted in 1924 and was a Trustee of the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
from 1921 to 1927 and the Scottish National Galleries, and was the King’s Painter and Limner
Limner
A limner is an illuminator of manuscripts, or more generally, a painter of ornamental decoration. One of the earliest mentions of a limner's work is found in the book Methods and Materials of Painting by Charles Lock Eastlake .-Scotland:...
in Scotland 1933.
Cameron died in Perth, Scotland
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
on 16th September 1945.