Wilkie and his Circle

13 November - 23 December 2026
Overview

Sir David Wilkie’s influence on British genre painting, domestic and historical, both during his lifetime and throughout the nineteenth century was profound. In his lifetime, he was regarded as the equal of his great contemporaries Turner and Constable.

Whilst his Scottish contemporaries followed his lead in subject matter and learned from his prodigious technical skills, they were an individualistic and disparate group of painters. In 1805 Wilkie, aged 20, moved to London and his immediate success gave other Scottish painters the courage to follow him.

 

Our exhibition marks the publication of David Wilkie: The Complete Paintings by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. Written by Hamish Miles (1925–2017) and edited by Alex Kidson, this catalogue is the culmination of decades of research and is the first complete catalogue of Wilkie’s paintings.

Works
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Exterior of a farmhouse with a pump and poultry, c.1815-1816 oil on panel 8 ¼ x 12 inches (21 x 30.5 cm)
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Exterior of a farmhouse with a pump and poultry, c.1815-1816
    oil on panel
    8 ¼ x 12 inches (21 x 30.5 cm)
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Young Girl with a Dog, 1829 inscribed 'D Wilkie January 19th 1829' pencil and watercolour with ink on paper 8 x 6 ¾ inches (20 x 17 cm)
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Young Girl with a Dog, 1829
    inscribed 'D Wilkie January 19th 1829'
    pencil and watercolour with ink on paper
    8 x 6 ¾ inches (20 x 17 cm)
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Study of Two Girls Walking, 1838 signed, inscribed and dated 1838 watercolour and ink 8 ½ x 7 inches
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Study of Two Girls Walking, 1838
    signed, inscribed and dated 1838
    watercolour and ink
    8 ½ x 7 inches
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA, Study of Two Girls Walking, 1838
    £ 1,200.00
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA A sketch for 'The Chelsea Pensioners reading the Waterloo Dispatch' ink on paper 4 ¾ x 4 ½ inches
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    A sketch for 'The Chelsea Pensioners reading the Waterloo Dispatch'
    ink on paper
    4 ¾ x 4 ½ inches
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA, A sketch for 'The Chelsea Pensioners reading the Waterloo Dispatch'
    £ 1,400.00
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Lady Seated at a Window etching 4 ¼ x 3 inches (sold unframed and unmounted)
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Lady Seated at a Window
    etching
    4 ¼ x 3 inches
    (sold unframed and unmounted)
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Man Resting his Hands on a Stick etching 3 x 1 ¾ inches (sold unframed)
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Man Resting his Hands on a Stick
    etching
    3 x 1 ¾ inches
    (sold unframed)
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Beggar Woman with Two Children signed in plate etching 2 ¾ x 1 ¾ inches (sold unframed)
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Beggar Woman with Two Children
    signed in plate
    etching
    2 ¾ x 1 ¾ inches
    (sold unframed)
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA The Sedan Chair etching 4 ½ x 3 ¼ inches (sold unframed)
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    The Sedan Chair
    etching
    4 ½ x 3 ¼ inches
    (sold unframed)
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Woman at a Window, Reading a Letter etching 3 x 1 ½ inches
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Woman at a Window, Reading a Letter
    etching
    3 x 1 ½ inches
  • Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA Reading the Will, 1819 initialled and dated 1819 in plate etching 3 ½ x 4 ¾ inches
    Sir David Wilkie RA HRSA
    Reading the Will, 1819
    initialled and dated 1819 in plate
    etching
    3 ½ x 4 ¾ inches
  • David Allan Catechising in the Church of Scotland, 1795 signed and dated 'D. Allan del [delineavit] 1795' watercolour 12 ¾ x 18 ¾ inches
    David Allan
    Catechising in the Church of Scotland, 1795
    signed and dated 'D. Allan del [delineavit] 1795'
    watercolour
    12 ¾ x 18 ¾ inches
    David Allan, Catechising in the Church of Scotland, 1795
    £ 3,800.00
  • Alexander Carse A travelling clothier outside an inn, 1831 signed and dated 1831 oil on canvas 25 ¼ x 30 inches
    Alexander Carse
    A travelling clothier outside an inn, 1831
    signed and dated 1831
    oil on canvas
    25 ¼ x 30 inches
    Alexander Carse, A travelling clothier outside an inn, 1831
    £ 4,800.00
  • Alexander Carse The Travelling Clothier, Edinburgh in the Distance, 1812 initialled and dated 'A.C. 1812' oil on canvas 23 x 30 inches
    Alexander Carse
    The Travelling Clothier, Edinburgh in the Distance, 1812
    initialled and dated 'A.C. 1812'
    oil on canvas
    23 x 30 inches
  • Thomas Faed RA ARSA From dawn to sunset, first thoughts, c.1860 signed; inscribed by the artist on label verso: 'From dawn to sunset - first thoughts' watercolour 3 ½ x 5 ¾ inches
    Thomas Faed RA ARSA
    From dawn to sunset, first thoughts, c.1860
    signed; inscribed by the artist on label verso: 'From dawn to sunset - first thoughts'
    watercolour
    3 ½ x 5 ¾ inches
    Thomas Faed RA ARSA, From dawn to sunset, first thoughts, c.1860
    £ 750.00
  • Alexander Fraser Jnr RSA RSW The Letter signed; signed, titled and inscribed 'Barncluith' verso oil on canvas 8 x 12 inches
    Alexander Fraser Jnr RSA RSW
    The Letter
    signed; signed, titled and inscribed 'Barncluith' verso
    oil on canvas
    8 x 12 inches
    Alexander Fraser Jnr RSA RSW, The Letter
    £ 1,800.00
  • Walter Geikie RSA Coming from the races signed and titled in plate etching 3 x 6 inches
    Walter Geikie RSA
    Coming from the races
    signed and titled in plate
    etching
    3 x 6 inches
    Walter Geikie RSA, Coming from the races
    £ 100.00
  • James Howe Sir Malcolm Fleming of Barochan (1745-1811) with his falconer John Anderson, 1811 oil on canvas 19 x 27 inches (48.3 x 68.6 cm)
    James Howe
    Sir Malcolm Fleming of Barochan (1745-1811) with his falconer John Anderson, 1811
    oil on canvas
    19 x 27 inches (48.3 x 68.6 cm)
    James Howe, Sir Malcolm Fleming of Barochan (1745-1811) with his falconer John Anderson, 1811
    £ 4,800.00
  • James Howe Horse tethered in a stable signed 'How' pen and ink 10 ½ x 16 inches
    James Howe
    Horse tethered in a stable
    signed 'How'
    pen and ink
    10 ½ x 16 inches
  • Julius Caesar Ibbetson View of Rosslyn Castle from the grounds of Sheriff Clerk (Mavisbank), c.1803 oil on canvas 18 x 24 ½ inches
    Julius Caesar Ibbetson
    View of Rosslyn Castle from the grounds of Sheriff Clerk (Mavisbank), c.1803
    oil on canvas
    18 x 24 ½ inches
    Julius Caesar Ibbetson, View of Rosslyn Castle from the grounds of Sheriff Clerk (Mavisbank), c.1803
    £ 3,800.00
  • Alexander Johnston A Stolen Glance signed oil on canvas 30 ¼ x 25 inches
    Alexander Johnston
    A Stolen Glance
    signed
    oil on canvas
    30 ¼ x 25 inches
  • William Kidd HRSA The Spoils of the Day, 1827 signed and dated 1827 oil on canvas 22 ½ x 29 inches (57 x 74 cm)
    William Kidd HRSA
    The Spoils of the Day, 1827
    signed and dated 1827
    oil on canvas
    22 ½ x 29 inches (57 x 74 cm)
  • William Kidd HRSA An alehouse altercation signed oil on panel 14 ¼ x 19 inches
    William Kidd HRSA
    An alehouse altercation
    signed
    oil on panel
    14 ¼ x 19 inches
    William Kidd HRSA, An alehouse altercation
    £ 4,000.00
  • William Kidd HRSA The Toast oil on canvas 10 ½ x 8 ¾ inches
    William Kidd HRSA
    The Toast
    oil on canvas
    10 ½ x 8 ¾ inches
    William Kidd HRSA, The Toast
    £ 1,800.00
  • William McTaggart RSA RSW A Frosty Morning oil on board 12 ½ x 9 ½ inches
    William McTaggart RSA RSW
    A Frosty Morning
    oil on board
    12 ½ x 9 ½ inches
  • William McTaggart RSA RSW A croft interior oil on canvas 14 x 18 inches
    William McTaggart RSA RSW
    A croft interior
    oil on canvas
    14 x 18 inches
  • Sir William Quiller Orchardson RA A Kent cottage interior signed with initials oil on canvas 14 x 21 inches
    Sir William Quiller Orchardson RA
    A Kent cottage interior
    signed with initials
    oil on canvas
    14 x 21 inches
    Sir William Quiller Orchardson RA, A Kent cottage interior
    £ 2,500.00
  • Scottish School Sunday Morning inscribed 'Sunday Morning, No 3' in pencil on board verso oil on board 8 x 6 inches
    Scottish School
    Sunday Morning
    inscribed 'Sunday Morning, No 3' in pencil on board verso
    oil on board
    8 x 6 inches
  • Scottish School Interior on Deeside inscribed 'Interior on Deeside, No 6' in pencil on board verso oil on board 8 x 6 ¾ inches
    Scottish School
    Interior on Deeside
    inscribed 'Interior on Deeside, No 6' in pencil on board verso
    oil on board
    8 x 6 ¾ inches