William Allan
Encyclopedia
Sir
William Allan (1782– 23 Feb. 1850) was a distinguished Scottish
historical painter known for his scenes of Russian life. He became president of the Royal Scottish Academy
and was made a Royal Academician.
, the son of William Allan Snr., macer - a humble officer of the Court of Session
. He was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, under William Nicol
(1744?-1797), the companion of Robert Burns
. Showing an aptitude for art, he was apprenticed to a coach-painter, and studied under John Graham
at the Trustees' Academy
, with David Wilkie
, John Burnet
, and Alexander Fraser
.
After a few years he came to London
, and entered the schools of the Royal Academy
. His first exhibited picture was a "Gipsy Boy with an Ass" (1803), in the style of John Opie
. In 1805 he travelled, by ship, to Russia
, but was wrecked at Memel
, where he raised funds for the remaining journey by painting portraits of the Dutch consul and others. He then proceeded overland to St. Petersburg, passing through a great portion of the Russian army on its way to Austerlitz
. At the Russian capital he found friends, including Sir Alexander Crichton
, physician to the imperial family. Having learned Russian, he travelled in the interior of the country, and spent several years in the Ukraine
, making excursions to Turkey
, Tartary
, and elsewhere, studying the culture of Cossacks, Circassians, and Tartars, and collecting arms and armour. In 1809 a picture by him of "Russian Peasants keeping their Holiday" was exhibited at the Royal Academy. His wish to return home in 1812 had to be postponed due to the French invasion of Russia
, many of the horrors of which he witnessed first-hand.
Allan was able to return to Edinburgh in 1814, and, in 1815, his picture of "Circassian Captives" attracted notice at the Royal Academy, though it did not find a purchaser; however Sir Walter Scott
, John Wilson
(1785-1854) and his brother James (1795-1856), John Lockhart
, and others, raised a lottery for it, with 100 subscribers at £10 10s. each, and the picture was won by the Earl of Wemyss
. Allan remained in Edinburgh, and though his pictures (including "Tartar Robbers dividing their Spoil") did not find purchasers amongst his countrymen, some of them were bought by the Grand Duke Nicholas
when he visited Edinburgh. Allan afterwards painted some scenes from Scottish history suggested by the novels of Sir Walter Scott, such as "Death of Archbishop Sharpe" and "Knox admonishing Mary Queen of Scots" (exhibited in 1823 and engraved by John Burnet
). His "Death of the Regent Murray" (exhibited 1825) was purchased by the Duke of Bedford
for 800 guineas, and gained the artist his election as an associate of the Royal Academy. In 1826 he was appointed master of the Trustees' School, Edinburgh, an office which he held till a few years before his death.
Soon afterwards Allan's health gave way, and he was threatened with blindness. To recuperate he went to Rome
, and, after spending a winter there, proceeded to Naples
, Constantinople
, Asia Minor
, and Greece
. In 1826 he exhibited "Auld Robin Gray" and in 1829 the "Prophet Jonah". In 1830 he returned to Edinburgh restored to health. His picture of the"Slave Market, Constantinople", was purchased by Alexander Hill, the publisher, and ‘Byron in a Fisherman's Hut after swimming the Hellespont’ (exhibited 1831) by R. Nasmyth, who also bought Allan's portraits of Burns and Sir Walter Scott, which were engraved by John Burnet.
In 1834 he visited Spain
and Morocco
. In 1835 he was elected a Royal Academician, and in 1838, on the death of Sir George Watson
, was made president of the Royal Scottish Academy. In 1841 he went to St. Petersburg, and in the same year succeeded Wilkie as limner to the queen
in Scotland, an office which was, as usual, followed (in 1842) by a knighthood.
In 1843 Sir William exhibited the "Battle of Waterloo from the English side", which was purchased by the Duke of Wellington
, and the next year went again to St. Petersburg, where he painted, for the Czar, "Peter the Great teaching his Subjects the Art of Shipbuilding". The last large work which he finished was a second view of the battle of Waterloo, this time from the French side. It was exhibited at Westminster Hall in 1846, in competition for the decorations of the Houses of Parliament, but was unsuccessful. He visited Germany and France in 1847.
At the time of his death in Edinburgh, on 23 February 1850, Sir William was engaged on a large picture of the "Battle of Bannockburn
".
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
William Allan (1782– 23 Feb. 1850) was a distinguished Scottish
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...
historical painter known for his scenes of Russian life. He became president 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...
and was made a Royal Academician.
Life and work
Allan was born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the son of William Allan Snr., macer - a humble officer of the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
. He was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, under William Nicol
William Nicol
William Nicol FRSE was a Scottish geologist and physicist who invented the Nicol prism, the first device for obtaining plane-polarized light, in 1828.-Early life:...
(1744?-1797), the companion 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...
. Showing an aptitude for art, he was apprenticed to a coach-painter, and studied under John Graham
John Graham (painter)
John Graham was an 18th-century Scottish painter and teacher of art.Graham was born in Edinburgh and apprenticed to a coach-painter in Edinburgh, George MacFarquhar. He next moved to London and became a coach-painter. He started studying at the Royal Academy Schools and exhibited there between...
at the Trustees' Academy
Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art is an art school in Edinburgh, Scotland, providing tertiary education in art and design disciplines for over two thousand students....
, with David Wilkie
David Wilkie (artist)
Sir David Wilkie was a Scottish painter.- Early life :Wilkie was the son of the parish minister of Cults in Fife. He developed a love for art at an early age. In 1799, after he had attended school at Pitlessie, Kettle and Cupar, his father reluctantly agreed to his becoming a painter...
, John Burnet
John Burnet
John Burnet may refer to:* John Burnet * John Burnet , Pastor in Camberwell; abolitionist* John Burnet...
, and Alexander Fraser
Alexander Fraser
Alexander Fraser may refer to:*Alexander Fraser of Touchfraser and Cowie, died by 1332 AD*Alexander Fraser , soldier and political figure in Upper Canada and Canada West*Alexander Fraser Alexander Fraser may refer to:*Alexander Fraser of Touchfraser and Cowie, died by 1332 AD*Alexander Fraser...
.
After a few years he came to 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...
, and entered the schools of the 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...
. His first exhibited picture was a "Gipsy Boy with an Ass" (1803), in the style of John Opie
John Opie
John Opie was an English historical and portrait painter. He painted many great men and women of his day, most notably in the artistic and literary professions.-Life and work:...
. In 1805 he travelled, by ship, to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, but was wrecked at Memel
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
, where he raised funds for the remaining journey by painting portraits of the Dutch consul and others. He then proceeded overland to St. Petersburg, passing through a great portion of the Russian army on its way to Austerlitz
Austerlitz
- People :* Austerlitz * Fred Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz* Robert Austerlitz , linguist, specialist in the Proto-Finno-Ugric language- Places :...
. At the Russian capital he found friends, including Sir Alexander Crichton
Alexander Crichton
Sir Alexander Crichton was a Scottish doctor, physician and author.- Medical career :Born in Newington, Edinburgh, Crichton received his M.D. from Leyden, Holland, in 1785. He developed his medical skills through studies at Paris, Stuttgart, Vienna, and Halle...
, physician to the imperial family. Having learned Russian, he travelled in the interior of the country, and spent several years in the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, making excursions to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Tartary
Tartary
Tartary or Great Tartary was a name used by Europeans from the Middle Ages until the twentieth century to designate the Great Steppe, that is the great tract of northern and central Asia stretching from the Caspian Sea and the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean inhabited mostly by Turkic, Mongol...
, and elsewhere, studying the culture of Cossacks, Circassians, and Tartars, and collecting arms and armour. In 1809 a picture by him of "Russian Peasants keeping their Holiday" was exhibited at the Royal Academy. His wish to return home in 1812 had to be postponed due to the French invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
, many of the horrors of which he witnessed first-hand.
Allan was able to return to Edinburgh in 1814, and, in 1815, his picture of "Circassian Captives" attracted notice at the Royal Academy, though it did not find a purchaser; however Sir 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....
, John Wilson
John Wilson (Scottish writer)
John Wilson of Ellerey FRSE was a Scottish advocate, literary critic and author, the writer most frequently identified with the pseudonym Christopher North of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine....
(1785-1854) and his brother James (1795-1856), John Lockhart
John Gibson Lockhart
John Gibson Lockhart , was a Scottish writer and editor. He is best known as the author of the definitive "Life" of Sir Walter Scott...
, and others, raised a lottery for it, with 100 subscribers at £10 10s. each, and the picture was won by the Earl of Wemyss
Earl of Wemyss
Earl of Wemyss and Earl of March are two titles in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 and 1697 respectively, that have been held by a joint holder since 1826. The Scottish Wemyss family had possessed the lands of Wemyss in Fife since the 12th century. In 1625 John Wemyss was created a...
. Allan remained in Edinburgh, and though his pictures (including "Tartar Robbers dividing their Spoil") did not find purchasers amongst his countrymen, some of them were bought by the Grand Duke Nicholas
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
when he visited Edinburgh. Allan afterwards painted some scenes from Scottish history suggested by the novels of Sir Walter Scott, such as "Death of Archbishop Sharpe" and "Knox admonishing Mary Queen of Scots" (exhibited in 1823 and engraved by John Burnet
John Burnet (painter)
John Burnet was a Scottish engraver and painter.-Life:Son of the Surveyor-General of Excise of Scotland, Burnet was born either in Edinburgh in 1781 or in Fisherrow in 1784...
). His "Death of the Regent Murray" (exhibited 1825) was purchased by the Duke of Bedford
Duke of Bedford
thumb|right|240px|William Russell, 1st Duke of BedfordDuke of Bedford is a title that has been created five times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1414 in favour of Henry IV's third son, John, who later served as regent of France. He was made Earl of Kendal at the same time...
for 800 guineas, and gained the artist his election as an associate of the Royal Academy. In 1826 he was appointed master of the Trustees' School, Edinburgh, an office which he held till a few years before his death.
Soon afterwards Allan's health gave way, and he was threatened with blindness. To recuperate he went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and, after spending a winter there, proceeded to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. In 1826 he exhibited "Auld Robin Gray" and in 1829 the "Prophet Jonah". In 1830 he returned to Edinburgh restored to health. His picture of the"Slave Market, Constantinople", was purchased by Alexander Hill, the publisher, and ‘Byron in a Fisherman's Hut after swimming the Hellespont’ (exhibited 1831) by R. Nasmyth, who also bought Allan's portraits of Burns and Sir Walter Scott, which were engraved by John Burnet.
In 1834 he visited Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. In 1835 he was elected a Royal Academician, and in 1838, on the death of Sir George Watson
George Watson (painter)
George Watson was a Scottish portrait painter and first president of the Royal Scottish Academy.-Life and work:Watson was born at his father's estate, Overmains, Berwickshire, in 1767, the son of John Watson and Frances Veitch of Elliott...
, was made president of the Royal Scottish Academy. In 1841 he went to St. Petersburg, and in the same year succeeded Wilkie as limner to the queen
Painter and Limner
The Painter and Limner is a member of the Royal Household in Scotland. Appointments of Court Painters are recorded from 1581 onwards, and the post of Painter and Limner was created in 1702 for George Ogilvie. The duties included "drawing pictures of our [the Monarch's] person or of our successors...
in Scotland, an office which was, as usual, followed (in 1842) by a knighthood.
In 1843 Sir William exhibited the "Battle of Waterloo from the English side", which was purchased by the Duke of Wellington
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
, and the next year went again to St. Petersburg, where he painted, for the Czar, "Peter the Great teaching his Subjects the Art of Shipbuilding". The last large work which he finished was a second view of the battle of Waterloo, this time from the French side. It was exhibited at Westminster Hall in 1846, in competition for the decorations of the Houses of Parliament, but was unsuccessful. He visited Germany and France in 1847.
At the time of his death in Edinburgh, on 23 February 1850, Sir William was engaged on a large picture of the "Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
".
Works
- Russian Peasants keeping their Holiday (1809)
- Bashkirs (1814, HermitageHermitage MuseumThe State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
) - Frontier Guard (1814, HermitageHermitage MuseumThe State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
) - The Sale of Circassian Captives to a Turkish Bashaw (1816)
- Tartar Robbers dividing Spoil ( 1817, Tate GalleryTate GalleryThe Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
)
- John KnoxJohn KnoxJohn Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
admonishing Mary, Queen of Scots (1823) - The Regent MurrayJames Stewart, 1st Earl of MorayJames Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray , a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V, was Regent of Scotland for his nephew, the infant King James VI of Scotland, from 1567 until his assassination in 1570...
shot by Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh (1825, Woburn AbbeyWoburn AbbeyWoburn Abbey , near Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the seat of the Duke of Bedford and the location of the Woburn Safari Park.- Pre-20th century :...
) - The Black Dwarf (1827, National Gallery of ScotlandNational Gallery of ScotlandThe National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
) - Lord Byron in a Turkish Fisherman's House after swimming across the Hellespont (1831)
- Slave Market (1838, National Gallery of ScotlandNational Gallery of ScotlandThe National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
) - The Signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars KirkyardGreyfriars KirkyardGreyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred at...
(EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
City Arts Centre) - The Recovery of the stolen Child (1841, AberdeenAberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Art Gallery) - Battle of Prestonpans (1842, Private Collection)
- Peter the Great teaching his Subjects the Art of Shipbuilding (1845, formerly in the Winter Palace of the Hermitage, now lost)
- Waterloo, June 18, 1815 (1843, His Grace Arthur Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, Apsley HouseApsley HouseApsley House, also known as Number One, London, is the former London residence of the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing south towards the busy traffic interchange and Wellington Arch...
) - The Duke of Wellington - en route to Quatre Bras (1844, Private Collection)
- The Battle of Waterloo (1845, Royal Military Academy SandhurstRoyal Military Academy SandhurstThe Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
) - Battle of Bannockburn (Royal Scottish AcademyRoyal Scottish AcademyThe 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...
, on loan to the Wallace MonumentWallace MonumentThe National Wallace Monument is a tower standing on the summit of Abbey Craig, a hilltop near Stirling in Scotland. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero....
, StirlingStirlingStirling 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...
) - Heroism and Humanity (Robert the Bruce with soldiers) (1840 Kelvingrove Museum)