James Drummond FSA (1816 – 1877) was an artist and the curator of the

National Gallery of Scotland The Scottish National Gallery (formerly the National Gallery of Scotland) is the national art gallery of Scotland. It is located on The Mound in central Edinburgh, close to Princes Street. The building was designed in a neoclassical style by W ...

from 1868 to 1877. He was also an early photographer.

Life

He was born in 1816, in John Knox House in the Royal Mile,

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 ...

. He studied at the Trustees Academy in Edinburgh under

Sir William Allan Sir William Allan (178223 February 1850) was a distinguished Scottish historical painter known for his scenes of Russian life. He became president of the Royal Scottish Academy and was made a Royal Academician. Life and work Allan was born ...

. He was a member of the Photographic Society of Scotland and was photographed by

Hill & Adamson Hill & Adamson was the first photography studio in Scotland, set up by painter David Octavius Hill and engineer Robert Adamson in 1843. During their brief partnership that ended with Adamson's untimely death, Hill & Adamson produced "the first s ...

around 1843. He was also a member of the

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body of Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh. The Society's aim is to promote the cultural heritage of Scotland. The usua ...

. In November 1876 he is listed as their Curator of the Museum, along with Robert Carfrae. He produced a series of drawings of buildings in the Old Town later reproduced as

lithographs Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...

. In his later life he lived at 8 Royal Crescent in the New Town of Edinburgh.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1875-76

Works

Drummond specialised in historical recreations and imaginary reconstructions of past events such as: * The Porteous Mob *Montrose paraded on the Royal Mile *The Return of

Mary Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Sco ...

to Edinburgh *Portrait of Baroness Burdett-Coutts and her Companion Mrs Brown in Edinburgh (1874) *The Pipe-Smoker *Queen Mary's Last Look *Ancient Scottish Weapons (portfolio series) *Fisherman Drawing on his Pipe *The Fiery Cross *Old Salty (1841) *The Departure of the Bride * Border Reivers *Portrait of

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

*Old Edinburgh (portfolio series) *The Old Fisherman *gravestone for

Alexander Smith (poet) Alexander Smith (1829/30, probably 31 December 18295 January 1867) was a Scottish poet, labelled as one of the Spasmodic School, and essayist. Life Alexander Smith was the eldest of eight, possibly nine, children born to John Smith (1803–188 ...

References

Citations

Sources

External links

James Drummond in the National Galleries of Scotland
1816 births 1877 deaths 19th-century Scottish painters Scottish male painters Scottish curators Artists from Edinburgh Royal Scottish Academicians Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 19th-century Scottish male artists {{Scotland-painter-stub