The Wilkie Tradition
Scottish pastoral life became a literary focus at the close of the 18th century in the poetry of Burns, Ramsay and Fergusson. This, combined with an emerging availability of engravings after the Dutch and Fleming masters, encouraged artists in Scotland to look closer to home for their subject matter and away from antiquity and the classical tradition. David Allan can be largely credited with leading Scottish artistic taste toward genre painting, guiding Wilkie and his successors toward a new tradition. Allan was followed by Alexander Carse whose paintings were to exert a strong influence over the early work of Sir David Wilkie. Carse’s painting of Oldhamstock Fair (1796, National Galleries of Scotland) proved inspirational to the young Wilkie who produced a counterpart to this picture with his Pitlessie Fair (1804, National Galleries of Scotland). This painting, with its numerous groups of figures, painted with carefully studied expressions, contains all the elements which were to become important in the context of Scottish genre painting.
Wilkie gained public and official recognition early, enjoying great success both in his native Scotland and in London where he settled in 1805. At the relatively young age of 24, Wilkie was elected into the Royal Academy, becoming a full member in 1811, and two years later was commissioned to paint Blind Man’s Buff (1811, Royal Collection) for the Prince Regent. The Prince’s favour was important to Wilkie and on his accession George IV continued to reward him. At Sir Henry Raeburn’s death in 1823 Wilkie was appointed King’s Limner in Scotland, and when Sir Thomas Lawrence died in 1830 he was further appointed Royal Painter in Ordinary, an office confirmed by William IV and, later, Queen Victoria. He was awarded a knighthood in 1836.
Wilkie’s work was of huge importance to Scottish genre painting both during his life and throughout the nineteenth century. Although the passage of time has slightly diminished his fame and reputation, in his lifetime, he was regarded as the equal of his great contemporaries Turner and Constable. With his rapidly growing popularity it is not surprising that he soon had many followers, in both choice and treatment of subject. Indeed, his example was so potent that there were few Scottish genre painters of his generation who did not work more or less in his manner. While following his lead in subject matter and learning from his prodigious technical skills, they were nonetheless an individualistic and disparate group of painters.
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAPortrait of Alexander Aitken (1789-1871), c.1804-1806oil on canvas30 x 25 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAFarmyard Scene, 1815signed and dated 1815 on panel versooil on panel5 x 8 3/4 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAThe continence of Scipioindistinctly inscribedpen and ink7 1/4 x 10 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAA sketch for 'The Chelsea Pensioners reading the Waterloo Dispatch'ink on paper4 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAHolyrood House, 1822signed and inscribed 'D Wilkie Holyrood House 1822'pencil5 x 6 3/4 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAThe Misses Mary and Elizabeth Clerk, sisters of Lord Eldinoil on panel6 1/4 x 7 1/8 in
15.9 x 17.8 cm -
Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAYoung Girl with a Dog, 1829inscribed 'D Wilkie January 19th 1829'pencil and watercolour with ink on paper8 x 6 ¾ inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSADomestic Life, 1836signed and dated 1836; inscribed in French by the artist on original label versooil on panel12 3/4 x 9 1/2 in
32.4 x 24.1 cm -
Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAStudy of Two Girls Walking, 1838signed, inscribed and dated 1838watercolour and ink8 1/2 x 7 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAWoman at a Window, Reading a Letteretching3 x 1 1/2 inches
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Sir David Wilkie RA HRSAThe Sedan Chairetching4 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches
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David AllanCatechising in the Church of Scotland, 1795signed and dated 'D. Allan del [delineavit] 1795'watercolour12 3/4 x 18 3/4 inches
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David AllanMemorandum of Cheese Marketinscribed 'memorandum of cheese market' and further inscribed throughoutpen and ink4 1/2 x 7 1/4 in
11.4 x 18.4 cm -
Alexander CarseThe Travelling Clothier, Edinburgh in the distance, 1812initialled and dated 'A.C. 1812'oil on canvas23 x 30 inches
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James HoweBoy washing horses in a stablesigned 'How'pen and ink10 3/4 x 15 3/4 inches
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James HoweHorse tethered in a stablesigned 'How'pen and ink10 ½ x 16 inches
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James HoweTwo horses by a fencesigned 'How'pen and ink10 3/4 x 15 3/4 inches
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Andrew Geddes ARAAnthony Stewart, John Burnet and Andrew Geddesoil on panel17 1/4 x 23 3/4 in
43.8 x 60.3 cm -
Walter Geikie RSAEdinburgh and Lochend Lochsigned 'Wr. Geikie'oil on canvas25 x 34 3/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAOur Gudeman's a Drucken Carlesigned in plateetching7 x 6 3/4 in
17.8 x 17.1 cm -
Walter Geikie RSAThe Origin of Paintingsigned in plateetching8 1/4 x 6 inches
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William Kidd HRSAAn alehouse altercationsignedoil on panel14 1/4 x 19 inches
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William Kidd HRSAThe Toastoil on canvas10 1/2 x 8 3/4 inches
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Thomas Duncan ARA RSAThe Milkmaid, 1835dated 1835 on label versooil on panel24 x 17 1/4 in
61 x 43.8 cm -
Alexander Fraser Snr ARSAThe Heronsigned; signed on panel verso
oil on panel7 1/4 x 10 1/4 in
18.4 x 26 cm -
James HoweMan feeding hay to two horsessigned 'Howe'pen and ink10 x 15 3/8 inches
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James HoweMan leading a horse drawn cartsigned 'How'pen and ink10 x 15 1/4 inches
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James HoweMan leading a horse with pannierssigned 'Howe'pen and ink10 1/2 x 15 7/8 inches
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James HoweMan on a horse and cartsigned 'How'pen and ink10 5/8 x 15 3/4 inches
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James HoweMan training a horsesigned 'I How'; inscribed 'No.3 ___' versopen and ink10 x 15 3/8 inches
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James HoweMan with horse stopping for refreshmentssigned 'How'pen and ink10 1/2 x 15 7/8 in
26.7 x 40.3 cm -
James HoweRiders crossing a streamsigned 'Howe'pen and ink10 5/8 x 15 7/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAA blind fiddlersigned and titled in plateetching5 x 6 3/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAA canny customersigned and titled in plateetching3 7/8 x 5 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAA canny customersigned and titled in plateetching3 7/8 x 5 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAA dealer in herringssigned and titled "A Dealer in herrings 'are ye sure it's gude mistrefs'" in plateetching4 x 6 1/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAA musical soutersigned and titled in plateetching7 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAA scene on the beachsigned and titled in plateetching2 7/8 x 6 1/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAArtist sketchingsigned in plateetching4 x 3 7/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSABoiling potatoessigned and titled in plateetching5 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSACastle Banksigned and titled in plateetching5 1/4 x 6 3/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSACobler & Customersigned and titled in plateetching6 3/4 x 5 1/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAComing from the racessigned and titled in plateetching3 x 5 7/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSADouble portraitsigned in plateetching2 1/2 x 4 5/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAFishwivessigned in plateetching3 1/2 x 5 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAFishwives talkingsigned in plateetching5 x 4 1/2 in
12.7 x 11.4 cm -
Walter Geikie RSAHaud your tae still mansigned and titled in plateetching4 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAHe's just gotten plenty for ae daysigned in plateetching5 1/4 x 4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAI am na fou I just hae plentysigned and titled in plateetching6 x 6 3/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSALawn Marketsigned and titled in plateetching4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSALawn Marketsigned and titled in plateetching4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSALawn Market from above the West Bowsigned and titled in plateetching5 5/8 x 6 3/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSALibberton Wynd from the Cowgatesigned and titled in plateetching6 7/8 x 4 7/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSARowly Powlysigned and titled in plateetching4 7/8 x 7 1/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAScene at All Hallow fairsigned and titled in plateetching3 x 5 3/8 inches
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Walter Geikie RSASettling for crummiesigned and titled in plateetching5 1/2 x 5 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAStreet auctionersigned and titled in plateetching3 5/8 x 6 1/2 in
9.2 x 16.5 cm -
Walter Geikie RSAThe criticsigned in plateetching4 x 5 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAThe shoe standsigned and titled in plateetching4 3/4 x 6 in
12.1 x 15.2 cm -
Walter Geikie RSATwo men on a benchetching4 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAUnco news - lucky - unco newssigned and titled in plateetching2 3/4 x 2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAFair Gamblerssigned and titled in plateetching7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches
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Walter Geikie RSAMan on Horsebacksigned in plateetching9 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches