John Alexander (painter) facts for kids

John Alexander (born 1686, died around 1766) was a Scottish artist from the 18th century. He was a talented painter and also made prints (an engraver). He learned his art in Italy from a teacher named Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari.

Life of a Scottish Artist

Alexander's father was a doctor from Aberdeen, Scotland. Interestingly, his great-grandfather, George Jamesone, was also a famous painter!

John Alexander lived in London for a while before moving to Rome, Italy, in 1711. In Rome, he continued his studies with Giuseppe Chiari. He even received special art jobs from the Stuart royal family, who were living outside Scotland at the time. One of his big projects was a painting for a castle. Sadly, this painting was later destroyed, but his original sketch for it is still kept safe at the National Gallery of Scotland.

Many of the people who hired Alexander, including a man named Gordon, supported the Jacobite cause. This was a political movement that wanted to bring the Stuart royal family back to the throne. Alexander himself joined the Jacobite uprising in 1745. After the Battle of Culloden, which the Jacobites lost, he had to hide. However, he soon started working as an artist again and was openly painting in Aberdeen by 1748.

Alexander was also skilled at making prints. He created several etchings (a type of print) based on famous paintings by Raphael in the Vatican. He dedicated a set of these prints, made in 1717 and 1718, to Cosimo III, who was the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

John Alexander's son, Cosmo Alexander, also became a portrait painter.

Images for kids

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  Portrait of John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee by John Alexander