xt7qjq0stw34_5303 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7qjq0stw34/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7qjq0stw34/data/1997ms474.dao.xml unknown archival material 1997ms474 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. W. Hugh Peal manuscript collection William Allan print and clipping text 43.94 Cubic Feet 86 boxes, 4 oversize boxes, 22 items Poor-Good Peal accession no. 11453. William Allan print and clipping 2017 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7qjq0stw34/data/1997ms474/Box_61/Folder_64/Multipage28185.pdf undated section false xt7qjq0stw34_5303 xt7qjq0stw34 SIR WILLIAM ALLAN.

Sm WILLIAM ALLAN, R.A., President of the
Royal Scottish Academy, Member of the Academy
of St Luke, &c., &c., was born in the year 1782,
at Edinburgh, and was educated there partly at
the High School of the city, under William
Nichol, the companion of the poet Burns, a
somewhat severe disciplinarian. At a very early
age Allan evinced a love for the Arts, and all his
spare hours were devoted to drawing ; he studied
for several years at the Trustees’ Academy, com‘
mencing on the day that Graham entered on his
duties as master, at which time Wilkie also
entered as a student. Wilkie and Allan were
therefore among Graham’s first pupils at the
Academy. They began drawing from the same
example, and thus continued for months, using
the same copy and sitting on the same form.
The friendship thus begun by the young painters
increased as they grew to manhood, and ceased
but with the life of Wilkie, whose character as
a student, as an artist, and as a man, it has been,
and still is, the delight of the surviving subject
of this memoir to hold up as an example to the
young aspirants in the profession who seek his
counsel. After the close of his studies with
Graham, of whose instructions and kindness
Allan has ever cherished a most grateful remem-
brance, he removed to London and was admitted
to the School of the Royal Academy, where he
remained some time; but not ultimately finding
professional employment, and after many hard
struggles in the great brick wilderness, he deter-

‘ mined on going abroad to try whether en-
couragement might not be had elsewhere.
Russia suggested itself as a country where an
opening for his talents might be expected. and ,
as one abounding in stirring and novel subject
matter for the pencil.

Sir VVilliam’s well-known character for ener-
getic action when once his plans are resolved on
was here manifested. He scarcely gave himself
time to communicate his intention to his friends
in Scotland, but with one or two letters of

‘ introduction to some of his countrymen resi«
dent in St. Petersburgh, he embarked in a vessel
sailing for Riga. Adverse winds threw the ship

1 almost a wreck into Memel, in Prussia; and
thus our artist, with, by no means, a heavy purse,
was cast upon a strange land, of whose language
and people he was ignorant. The universal
language of his Art, however, he could speak;
and relying on his innate powers, he took up his
abode at an inn and commenced portraitpainting,
beginning with the portrait of the Danish consul
to whom he had been introduced by the captain
of the vessel. Having, in this way, recruited his
exhausted finances, he lost no time in resuming
his journey northward. He proceeded overland

, to St. Petersburgh, encountering on the road
various romantic incidents, and passing through
a great portion of the Russian army on their
way to the battle of Austerlitz. On his arrival
at. Petersburgh, he was, through the kindness of
Sir Alexander Crichton, then physician to the
Imperial family, introduced to many valuable
friends; and eventually, was enabled to pursue
his Art diligently and successfully. Having
attained a knowledge of the Russian language,
he travelled into the interior, and remained for
several years in the Ukraine, making excursions at
various times to Turkey, Tartary, to the shores of
the Black Sea, Sea of Azoph, and the banks of the
Kuban, amongst Cossacks, Circassians, Turks, and
Tartars; visiting their huts and tents, studying
their history, character, and costume, and col-
lecting a rich museum of their arms and armour,
as matiéres premieres for his future labours in
Art. In 1812, Mr. Allan began to meditate a
return to fatherland, as in some measure he had
accomplished the objects of his journey and stay
abroad. But the French invasion had com-

‘ menced ; Napoleon had already passed the

, frontier with his numerous army; the whole
country was thrown into confiasion and alarm:
so that our paintcr’s return became a matter of
impossibility; and thus he was forced to witness
not a few of the heart-rending miseries of that
eventful period. In 1814, after an absence of ten
years, Mr. Allan returned to the romantic city of
his birth and boyhood, and had the happiness of

 

  

 

again seeing his father and other dear friends.
Our space will not permit us to do more than
glance at Allan’s Edinburgh life at this time;
suffice it to say, that the most eminent of his
countrymen in Literature and Art visited and
were in daily intercourse with the young and enter-
prising artist ; among whom were Scott, lVilson,
Lockhart, and other distinguished literati of the
day. He commenced by embodying some of the
romantic scenes which his travels and adventures
had suggested. The first subject that brought
his name into general notice in this country was
the “ Circassian Captives,” a work full of exqui-
site and novel matter, character, and expression ;
and remarkable for the masterly arrangement of
its parts. This picture was exhibited at Somerset
House in 1815. Other works of kindred exceL
lence succeeded z—“Tartar Banditti," “Haslan
Gheray crossing the Kuban,” “A Jewish \Ved-
ding in Poland," “Prisoners conveyed to Siberia
by Cossacks,”—pictures which have never been
forgotten by those who saw them. These and
many others the artist brought together and
exhibited in his native city, along with the
armour and costumes he had collected in his
travels. This exhibition was highly attractive ;
the artist rose higher in the estimation of his
countrymen, but received few commissions. He
had determined to make Scotland his future resi-
dence, and historical painting his exclusive pro-
fession. The beginning was thus up-hill work ;
but fortunately for historical Art in Scotland,
there still remained a few of the Russian roubles.
After a time, Sir Walter Scott, John Wilson the
poet, his brother James the naturalist, Lockhart,
and a number of the artist‘s other friends pur-
chased. his “ Circassian Captives ” at a price they
thought considerable ; and having resolved to

 

decide by lot whose property it should become,
the Earl of lVemyss became possessor of this
beautiful work, which now graces his lordship’s
collection in Stratford Place, London. The
Grand Duke Nicholas, present Emperor of
Russia, visited Edinburgh, and purchased several
pictures from the artist ; one, “ Siberian Exiles,”
and another, “Haslan thray.” Things began
to look better ; Allan’s works now found a more
ready sale; and his picture of “The Death of
Archbishop Sharpe," a work of very high cha«
racter, was purchased by Mr. Lockhart, of Milton
Lockhart, M.P. ; his most affecting picture “The
Press-Gang,” by Mr. Horrocks of Tillyheeran ; his
“ Knox admonishing Mary, Queen of Scots,” by
Mr. Trotter of Ballendean ; “ The Death of the
Regent Murray,” by his Grace the late Duke of
Bedford; “The Ettrick Shepherd’s Birthday,”
by the late Mr. Gott‘ of Leeds ,' his whole-length
cabinet portraits of ” Scott and Burns," by his
friend Robert Nasmyth, Esq. ; and “The Orphan
Scene at Abbotsford,” by King William IV.

A serious malady in the eyes now threatened
the artist with total blindness, and was a source
of great sufi’ering for several years, causing a
cessation of all professional labour. A change of
climate was prescribed, and he went to Italy;
spent a winter at Rome, and from Naples made
a journey to Constantinople; and after visiting
Asia Minor and Greece, he returned to Edin-
burgh With health restored. “ The Slave Market,
Constantinople,” purchased by Alexander Hill,
Esq., publisher, was the fruit of this journey.
Also, “ Byron in the Fisherman’s Hut, after
swimming the Hellespont,” bought by Robert
Nasmyth, Esq. In 1884 an ardent wish to visit
Spain, and to gather new material for his Art,
led him once more to go abroad. He sailed for

 

Cadiz and Gibraltar, went into West Barbary,
and crossing again to Spain, travelled over the
greater part of Andalusia, intending to go on to
Madrid, but was prevented by news from home
from accomplishing the latter project. We can-
not in so brief a memoir do more than mention
the names of a few of his other works. Among
them are “The Moorish Love-letter,” “ Murder
of Rizzio,” “Battle of Prestonpans," “ An Inci-
dent in the Life of King Robert Bruce,” “\Vhit—
tington and his Cat,” “Polish Exiles on the road
to Siberia,” (this latter picture was bought by
“7. Burn Callcnder, Esq., of Preston Hall), all
remarkable for scrupulous correctness of cha-
racter and costume, and lacking none of the
higher qualities of Art.

Having long desired to paint a picture of the
Battle of “Taterloo, he several times visited
France and Belgium to make sketches of the
field of action, and otherwise to collect material
for his purpose. The view he chose was from
the French side, Napoleon and his staff being
the foreground figures. This pictiu'e was in 1843
exhibited at the Royal Academy, and purchased
by the Duke of \Vcllington, who gratified the
artist by expressing his satisfaction at the truth-
fulness of the arrangement and detail in his
work. Such high commendation induced Sir
\Villiam to throw himself with all the indomi-
table energy for which the veteran President
of the Scottish Academy, not less than the young
adventurer 0f the Ukraine, was still remarkable,
into another great picture of “ Waterloo " from
the British side, with the view of entering the
lists of the \Vestminster Hall competition in
1846. This work also gained the approbation of
“the great Captain," and was much praised by
the public; it was voted for by one at least of
the best judges in the committee as worthy of
public reward, but without so favourable a result.
Let us hope that a work so replete with truth and
spirit may yet meet its just reward in the
National adoption.

Undaunted by defeat, the patriotic President
is now engaged with his wonted vigour in paint-
ing the “Battle of Bannockburn,” on the same
extensive scale as his latter picture of Waterloo.
May success and reward attend his noble
effort.

In 1844 Allan revisited Russia, and had an
opportunity of seeing again his early patron, the
Czar. There he painted a picture of “ Peter the
Great teaching his subjects the Art of Ship-
building.” It was exhibited at the Royal Aca-
demy in 1845, and is now in the Winter Palace,
St. Petersburgh.

For a long period the only resident historical
painter of his country, and for seventeen years
Master of the Trustees’ Academy, where he and
\Vilkie first began their career, Allan has had the
opportunity of communicating much of his own
enthusiasm to the students of Art in Scotland,
and is now surrounded by a numerous body of
highly talented professors of his own branch of
Art. In 1838, on the death of Mr, Watson,
the original President of the Scottish Royal
Academy, Mr. Allan was unanimously elected by
the body to fill the chair which he still worthily
occupies. The labours of the Academy during
his presidency have been many, and some of
them, having most important bearings upon the
Fine Arts not only of Scotland, but of the whole
kingdom; an account of them, however, must
be looked for elsewhere. Mr. Allan was elected
Associate of the Royal Academy in 1826, and
Academician in 1835. On the death of Sir David
Wilkie he was appointed Her Majesty’s limner
for Scotland, and in 1842, he received the honour
of knighthood. Did our space allow it would
afford us pleasure to bear testimony to the
genial, hospitable, and liberal private character
of the worthy knight; but this we believe is as
well known to most of his southern brethren in
Art as to his own countrymen, who have frequent
opportunities of meeting at his elegant table the
men of note who visit the northern metropolis.
We conclude our necessarily defective notice of
one who has had much beneficial influence on
the Arts of his country, by expressing our earnest
hope that he may long be spared in health and
honour, to guide by his experience and stimulate
by his example, the rising professional body of
which he is the head.

 

 

 

 

 PASSAGES FROM THE POETS.

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“ How often have I led thy Sportive choir, Yet would the village praise my wondrous power,
With timeless pipe beside the murmuring Loire, And dance forgetful of the noontide hour.
Where shadinw elms along the margin grew Alike all ages: dames of ancient days
And fresheu’dbfrom the wave, the Zephyr fle’w! Have led their children through the mirthful maze,
And haply, though my harsh touch, faltering still. find Elielggybmangsiffi, ikilll’d infgastic lore, ”
as ris ; enen l e ur en 0 ireeseore.

But mock’d all time, and mnrr’d the dancer’s skill.
GOLDSMITH.