David Allan (painter) facts for kids
David Allan (born February 13, 1744 – died August 6, 1796) was a Scottish painter and illustrator. He was famous for his historical paintings and pictures of everyday life. He is sometimes called the "Scottish Hogarth" because he painted scenes of ordinary people.
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David Allan's Life and Art
Early Years and Training
David Allan was born in Alloa, Scotland. He studied painting at Foulis's Academy in Glasgow for seven years. He finished his studies in 1762. After this, he received support from important people like Lord Cathcart and Erskine of Mar.
Studying Art in Italy
In 1764, David Allan traveled to Rome, Italy. He stayed there until 1777. In Rome, he learned from another artist named Gavin Hamilton. He also copied paintings by famous old masters to improve his skills.
In 1771, Allan sent two of his historical paintings to an art show in London. These paintings were Pompey the Great after his Defeat and Cleopatra Weeping Over the Ashes of Mark Antony. Sadly, these paintings are now lost.
In 1773, while still in Rome, David Allan won a gold medal from the Accademia di San Luca. He won this award for his painting Hector’s Farewell from Andromache. He also painted The Origin of Painting, which is now in the National Gallery of Scotland. This painting shows a girl drawing her lover's shadow. It became very well known through an engraving by Domenico Cunego.
While in Italy, Allan also visited Naples. He was welcomed by the British ambassador, Sir William Hamilton. Allan created many lively drawings of street life in both Rome and Naples.
Returning to Scotland
David Allan came back from Rome in 1777. He lived in London for a short time and painted portraits. In 1780, he moved to Edinburgh, Scotland.
In 1786, he became the director and master of the Academy of Arts in Edinburgh. He worked from Writers Court, near the City Chambers. Here, he painted and made prints using a method called aquatint. Aquatint is a way of making prints that look like watercolor paintings.
Some of his most famous works from this time include Scotch Wedding and Highland Dance. He also created pictures for a poem called The Gentle Shepherd by Allan Ramsay. He also made illustrations for James Macpherson's Ossian poems. One of his students was Alexander Carse, whose early works show Allan's influence.
David Allan's Final Years
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In his last years, David Allan lived on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. He passed away in Edinburgh on August 6, 1796. His grave is in the Old Calton Burial Ground. The Royal Scottish Academy paid for and put up his headstone, which has a portrait of him.
