George Willison (artist) facts for kids
George Willison (1741–1797) was a talented Scottish artist. He was known for painting portraits of people. Willison is most famous for the artworks he created while living in India.
Life of a Portrait Painter
George Willison was born in Scotland in 1741. His father, David Willison, was a printer and publisher in Edinburgh. George's uncle, George Dempster of Dunnichen, helped him pursue his dream of becoming an artist.
In 1760, George traveled to Rome, Italy, to study art. He spent seven years there, learning from famous artists like Raphael Mengs. After his studies, he moved back to London, England.
Later, Willison traveled to India. He painted many portraits there, including those of Indian princes and their families. He earned a lot of money from his work in India, especially in the form of valuable jewels. After his time in India, he returned to Edinburgh, Scotland, where he continued to paint until he passed away in 1797.
Famous Artworks
Even as a young artist, George Willison showed great promise. In 1756, he won an award for a flower drawing from a group called the Edinburgh Society for the Encouragement of the Arts and Sciences. He won more awards in the next two years.
Between 1767 and 1777, Willison displayed about 25 of his portraits at the Royal Academy in London. This was a very important art exhibition.
While in India, he painted many portraits of officials from the East India Company. He spent a long time at the court of Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah, who was the ruler (called a Nawab) of a region known as Arcot. Willison created a series of portraits for the Nawab's British political friends. He also painted for the Nawab's rival, the Raja of Tanjore.
Some of Willison's portraits were later turned into engravings. Engravings are special prints made by artists like Valentine Green and James Watson. This helped his artwork become even more widely known.
