Alexander Chisholm (1792?–1847) was a British portrait and historical painter.

Life

Chisholm was born at

Elgin Elgin may refer to: Places Canada * Elgin County, Ontario * Elgin Settlement, a 19th-century community for freed slaves located in present-day North Buxton and South Buxton, Ontario * Elgin, a village in Rideau Lakes, Ontario * Elgin, Manit ...

in the year 1792 or 1793; at an early age, he was apprenticed by his father to a weaver at

Peterhead Peterhead (; , ) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is the council area's largest settlement, with a population of 19,060 at the 2022 Census for Scotland, 2022 Census. It is the largest fishing port in the United Kingdom for total landi ...

. He had a great aversion to the trade, and his predilection for art was so strong that he was accustomed to sketch figures upon the cloth on which he was occupied at the loom. When his leisure permitted him to resort to the sea-shore, Chisholm found great pleasure in sketching on the smooth sand. When about fourteen years of age, Chisholmwalked from Peterhead to

Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...

, where he received his first lessons in light and shade. At this time, there was a meeting of the

Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

, the members of which he was permitted to sketch. Chisholm's work gave such satisfaction, that he was forthwith commissioned to paint it, but this he was compelled to decline, as he was totally ignorant of the use of colours. Chisholm must have employed his leisure profitably, for when about twenty years of age he went to

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, where he was patronized by the

Earls of Elgin Earl of Elgin ( ) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is th ...

and

Buchan Buchan is a coastal district in the north-east of Scotland, bounded by the Ythan and Deveron rivers. It was one of the original provinces of the Kingdom of Alba. It is now one of the six committee areas of Aberdeenshire. Etymology The ge ...

, and was subsequently appointed an instructor at the

Royal Scottish Academy The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country's national academy of art. It promotes contemporary art, contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy ...

. In 1818, he went to London, still under the patronage of the Earl of Buchan, and met with much encouragement. In 1829, Chisolm became an Associate Exhibitor of the Water-Colour Society and frequently sent works to that Institution. His favourite department of art was history, but he also painted portraits with eminent success. Having suffered from severe illness during nine years before his death, his later productions do not exhibit that degree of vigour which characterize his earlier works. 'The Pedlar,' a water-colour painting by him, is in the

South Kensington Museum South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...

. Chisholm died at

Rothesay Rothesay ( ; ) is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies along the coast of the Firth of Clyde. It can be reached by a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Wemyss Bay, which also offers an ...

, in the

Isle of Bute The Isle of Bute (; or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault. Formerly a constituent island of the larger County of ...

, on 3 October 1847.

Works

The following are some of his most important works exhibited at the Royal Academy: *''Boys with a Burning Glass''. 1822. *''The Cut Foot''. 1823. *''Baptism of Ben Jonson's Daughter (wiih portraits of Shakespeare, Jonsonj Beaumont, Fletcher and Raleigh)''. 1837. *''The Lords of the Congregation taking the oath of the Covenant''. 1842. *''The Minister and his Wife concealing the Scottish Regalia in the Church'' (his last work). 1846.

Notes

References

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External links

* Paintings for Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Books with poetical illustrations by

Letitia Elizabeth Landon Letitia Elizabeth Landon (14 August 1802 – 15 October 1838) was an English poet and novelist, better known by her initials L.E.L. Landon's writings are emblematic of the transition from Romanticism to Victorian literature. Her first major b ...

: *:1836: , engraved by E Portbury. *:1837: , engraved by

Timothy Stansfeld Engleheart Timothy Stansfeld Engleheart ( ; 1803–1879) was an English engraver. He engraved some of the plates in the British Museum marbles, but seems to have removed to Darmstadt, as there is a fine engraving by him of ''Ecce Homo'', after Guido Reni, e ...

. *:1839: , engraved by P Lightfoot. {{DEFAULTSORT:Chisholm, Alexander 1790s births 1847 deaths People from Elgin, Moray British watercolourists 19th-century British painters British male painters 19th-century British male artists