Henry John Dobson ARCA RSW (1858–1928) was a 19th/20th century Scottish artist. He is best remembered for his 1893 portrait of

Keir Hardie James Keir Hardie (15 August 185626 September 1915) was a Scottish trade unionist and politician. He was a founder of the Labour Party, and served as its first parliamentary leader from 1906 to 1908. Hardie was born in Newhouse, Lanarkshire. ...

Life

He was born in

St John's Town of Dalry St John's Town of Dalry ( gd, Clachan Eòin), usually referred to simply as Dalry ( / 'dal-RYE'), is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire. Location St Johns Town is located close to the ...

in 1858, the son of Thomas Dobson, a wool merchant. He maintained a studio in

which still exists and is now the public library. He trained at the School of Design and Royal Institution in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

. In the 1890s he was living in Bradford. In 1911 he had studios at 108 George Street in Edinburgh's First New Town and lived at 12 Leven Terrace in the

Bruntsfield Bruntsfield is a largely residential area around Bruntsfield Place in Southern Edinburgh, Scotland. In feudal times, it fell within the barony of Colinton. Location Bruntsfield Place is less than south on the A702 main road from the West e ...

district.edinburgh Post Office Directory 1911 He died on 5 July 1928 and is buried in Liberton Cemetery. The grave lies against the east wall of the north cemetery, midway along its length.

Known works

*Old Lady Spinning - Stranraer Museum *The Light of Home - Stewartry Museum *The Crofter's Grace (1894) *George Hamilton (1855–1835) - Glasgow Museums Resource Centre *Mrs Hamilton (1899) *

Scottish National Portrait Gallery The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. The gallery holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Co ...

in 1892 - Parliamentary Art Collection *Granny's Blessing - Bradford Industrial Museum *Mending the Bird's Cage (1907) *Dr Livingstone Teaching the Natives *Burns' Grace *The Rt Hon

Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis Edward James Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (5 November 1818 – 7 May 1891), styled Viscount Clive between 1839 and 1848, was a British peer and politician. Background Powis was born at The Angel Hotel, Pershore, Worcestershire, the eldest son ...

*A Scottish Sacrament *Cottage Interior with a Young Girl *Burns' Wooing *Busy Guidwife *Mother Hen *The Evening Chapter *John Anderson My Jo *Fireside Crack *Granddad's Favourite *The Evening Lesson *Peeling Tatties

Artistic recognition

His full length portrait by his son,

Cowan Dobson David Cowan Dobson (1894–1980) was a leading Scottish portrait artist. Dobson was born in Bradford to Scottish parents and around 1920 moved to London. Family Dobson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, the second son of the Scottish portrait ...

(1898–1980), is held by the

Family

He was married to Jeannie Charlotte Hannah Cowan (died 1953). Their children included

Henry Raeburn Dobson Henry Raeburn Dobson (also known as Raeburn Dobson) (29 May 1901 – 22 May 1985;) was a Scottish portrait and landscape painter from Edinburgh. He was active in Edinburgh and Brussels from 1918/1920 until 1980. His father, Henry John Dobson (18 ...

(in obvious homage to the artist

Henry Raeburn Sir Henry Raeburn (; 4 March 1756 – 8 July 1823) was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. Biography Raeburn was born the son of a manufacturer in Stockbridge, on the Water of Leith: a f ...

) and David Cowan Dobson.

References

1858 births 1928 deaths Scottish artists {{Scotland-artist-stub