Alexander Nasmyth
Encyclopedia
Alexander Nasmyth was a Scottish portrait
and landscape
painter
, often called the "father of Scottish landscape painting".
, he studied at the Royal High School
and the Trustees’ Academy
under Alexander Runciman
, and, having been apprenticed as an heraldic painter to a coachbuilder, he, at the age of sixteen, attracted the attention of Allan Ramsay
, who took the youth with him to London, and employed him upon the subordinate portions of his works. Nasmyth returned to Edinburgh in 1778, and was soon largely patronized as a portrait painter. He also assisted Patrick Miller of Dalswinton
, as draughtsman, in his mechanical researches and experiments; and, this gentleman having generously offered the painter a loan to enable him to pursue his studies abroad, he left in 1782 for Italy, where he remained two years.
On his return he painted the portrait of Robert Burns
, now in the Scottish National Gallery, well known through William Walker
’s engraving. Political feeling at that time ran high in Edinburgh, and Nasmyth’s pronounced Liberal
opinions, which he was too outspoken and sincere to disguise, gave offence to many of his aristocratic patrons, and led to the diminution of his practice as a portraitist. In his later years, accordingly, he devoted himself mainly to landscape work, and did not disdain on occasion to set his hand to scene-painting for the theatres. He has been styled, not unjustly, the "father of Scottish landscape art". His subjects are carefully finished and coloured, but are wanting in boldness and freedom.
Nasmyth was also largely employed by noblemen throughout the country in the improving and beautifying of their estates, in which his fine taste rendered him especially skilful. He gained some reputation as an architect
, having designed the graceful circular temple covering St Bernard's Well by the Water of Leith
(1789), as well as bridges at Almondell
, West Lothian, and Tongland
, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Nasmyth also taught painting outside his own family and "instilled a whole generation with the importance of drawing as a tool of empirical investigation"; it was probably from him that John James Ruskin (father of John Ruskin
) learned to paint as a schoolboy in Edinburgh in the later 1790s. Another of Alexander's successful pupils was Andrew Wilson
, painter, teacher, art dealer and connoisseur, who had his first art training under Nasmyth.
He died in Edinburgh and is buried in St Cuthbert's Churchyard at the west end of Princes Street.
, was the well-known inventor of the steam hammer
; and his daughter Elizabeth married the actor Daniel Terry
, then as a widow Charles Richardson
. Alexander's six daughters all attained a certain local reputation as artists, but it was in his eldest son, Patrick Nasmyth
, that the artistic skill of his family was most powerfully developed. Having studied under his father, Patrick went to London at the age of twenty, and soon attracted attention as a clever landscapist. He was a diligent student of the works of Claude
and Richard Wilson
, and of Ruysdael and Hobbema
, upon whom his own practice was mainly founded. His most characteristic paintings are of English domestic scenery, full of quiet tone and colour, and detailed and minute expression of foliage, and with considerable brilliancy of sky effect. They were executed with his left hand, his right having in early life been injured by an accident.
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
and landscape
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
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...
, often called the "father of Scottish landscape painting".
Biography
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...
, he studied at the Royal High School
Royal High School (Edinburgh)
The Royal High School of Edinburgh is a co-educational state school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland, and has, throughout its history, been high achieving, consistently attaining well above average exam results...
and 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....
under Alexander Runciman
Alexander Runciman
Alexander Runciman was a Scottish painter of historical and mythological subjects. He was the elder brother of John Runciman, also a painter....
, and, having been apprenticed as an heraldic painter to a coachbuilder, he, at the age of sixteen, attracted the attention of Allan Ramsay
Allan Ramsay (1713-1784)
Allan Ramsay was a Scottish portrait-painter.-Life and career:Allan Ramsay was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the eldest son of Allan Ramsay, poet and author of The Gentle Shepherd....
, who took the youth with him to London, and employed him upon the subordinate portions of his works. Nasmyth returned to Edinburgh in 1778, and was soon largely patronized as a portrait painter. He also assisted Patrick Miller of Dalswinton
Patrick Miller of Dalswinton
Patrick Miller of Dalswinton, just north of Dumfries was a Scottish banker and shareholder in the Carron Company engineering works and an enthusiastic experimenter in ordnance and naval architecture, including double- or triple-hulled pleasure boats propelled by cranked paddle wheels placed...
, as draughtsman, in his mechanical researches and experiments; and, this gentleman having generously offered the painter a loan to enable him to pursue his studies abroad, he left in 1782 for Italy, where he remained two years.
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...
, now in the Scottish National Gallery, well known through William Walker
William Walker (engraver born 1791)
William Walker was a Scottish engraver. He is known for engravings of Sir Henry Raeburn's portraits of Sir Walter Scott and Raeburn himself, Sir Thomas Lawrence's portrait of Lord Broughham , and Alexander Nasmyth's portrait of Robert Burns.- Biography :Walker was born on 1 August 1791 at Markton,...
’s engraving. Political feeling at that time ran high in Edinburgh, and Nasmyth’s pronounced Liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
opinions, which he was too outspoken and sincere to disguise, gave offence to many of his aristocratic patrons, and led to the diminution of his practice as a portraitist. In his later years, accordingly, he devoted himself mainly to landscape work, and did not disdain on occasion to set his hand to scene-painting for the theatres. He has been styled, not unjustly, the "father of Scottish landscape art". His subjects are carefully finished and coloured, but are wanting in boldness and freedom.
Nasmyth was also largely employed by noblemen throughout the country in the improving and beautifying of their estates, in which his fine taste rendered him especially skilful. He gained some reputation as an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, having designed the graceful circular temple covering St Bernard's Well by the Water of Leith
Water of Leith
The Water of Leith is the main river flowing through Edinburgh, Scotland, to the port of Leith where it flows into the sea via the Firth of Forth.It is long and rises in the Colzium Springs at Millstone Rig of the Pentland Hills...
(1789), as well as bridges at Almondell
Almondell and Calderwood Country Park
Almondell and Calderwood Country Park is a Country Park in Mid Calder and East Calder in West Lothian, Scotland. The park is split into two main areas, Almondell Park which comprises the Almondell estate which originally belonged to the Erskine family of Broxburn and the Calderwood estate which...
, West Lothian, and Tongland
Tongland
Tongland is a small village about 2 miles north of Kirkcudbright, south west Scotland. It lies on the west bank of the Dee near its confluence with the Tarff Water.-History:...
, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Nasmyth also taught painting outside his own family and "instilled a whole generation with the importance of drawing as a tool of empirical investigation"; it was probably from him that John James Ruskin (father of John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
) learned to paint as a schoolboy in Edinburgh in the later 1790s. Another of Alexander's successful pupils was Andrew Wilson
Andrew Wilson (artist)
Andrew Wilson was a Scottish landscape-painter.-Life:Born in Edinburgh, he came of an old Jacobite family. His father was Archibald Wilson, and his mother Elizabeth Shields. When quite young he began to study art under Alexander Nasmyth, and then, at the age of seventeen, went to London, where he...
, painter, teacher, art dealer and connoisseur, who had his first art training under Nasmyth.
He died in Edinburgh and is buried in St Cuthbert's Churchyard at the west end of Princes Street.
Family
His youngest son, James NasmythJames Nasmyth
James Hall Nasmyth was a Scottish engineer and inventor famous for his development of the steam hammer. He was the co-founder of Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company manufacturers of machine tools...
, was the well-known inventor of the steam hammer
Steam hammer
A steam hammer is a power-driven hammer used to shape forgings. It consists of a hammer-like piston located within a cylinder. The hammer is raised by the pressure of steam injected into the lower part of a cylinder and falls down with a force by removing the steam. Usually, the hammer is made to...
; and his daughter Elizabeth married the actor Daniel Terry
Daniel Terry
Daniel Terry was an English actor and playwright, known also as a close associate of Sir Walter Scott.-Life:He was born in Bath about 1780, and was educated at the Bath grammar school and subsequently at a private school at Wingfield , Wiltshire, under the Rev. Edward Spencer...
, then as a widow Charles Richardson
Charles Richardson (lexicographer)
-Life:He was born at Tulse Hill in July 1775 and started a legal career, but left it early for scholarly and literary pursuits. He kept a school on Clapham Common, and among his pupils there were Charles James Mathews, who assisted Richardson as a copyist, John Mitchell Kemble, and John Maddison...
. Alexander's six daughters all attained a certain local reputation as artists, but it was in his eldest son, Patrick Nasmyth
Patrick Nasmyth
Patrick Nasmyth, , was a Scottish landscape painter. He was the eldest son of the famous artist Alexander Nasmyth, whilst his younger brother, James, was a prominent engineer who gained notoriety as the inventor of the steam hammer.Nasmyth was born in Edinburgh and was named after his father's...
, that the artistic skill of his family was most powerfully developed. Having studied under his father, Patrick went to London at the age of twenty, and soon attracted attention as a clever landscapist. He was a diligent student of the works of Claude
Claude Lorrain
Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French Claude Gellée, , dit le Lorrain) Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French...
and Richard Wilson
Richard Wilson (painter)
Richard Wilson was a Welsh landscape painter, and one of the founder members of the Royal Academy in 1768. Wilson has been described as '...the most distinguished painter Wales has ever produced and the first to appreciate the aesthetic possibilities of his country.' He is considered to be the...
, and of Ruysdael and Hobbema
Meindert Hobbema
Meindert Hobbema , was a landscape painter of the Dutch school.-Life:The facts of his life are somewhat obscure. His chronology and signed pictures substantially contradict each other...
, upon whom his own practice was mainly founded. His most characteristic paintings are of English domestic scenery, full of quiet tone and colour, and detailed and minute expression of foliage, and with considerable brilliancy of sky effect. They were executed with his left hand, his right having in early life been injured by an accident.
External links
- Works in the National Galleries of Scotland
- The McEwan Gallery, which have examples of Nasmyth's works for sale
- Brief bio of Alexander Nasmyth from Web Gallery of Art