Sir William Allan

Sir William Allan trained as an artist in Edinburgh and London before travelling to the remotest reaches of the Russian empire, making drawings of the peoples and places he encountered. It was during an extended stay in Poland that he became known as "Scotland's Raphael", a plaudit earned in equal part for the scale and detail of his paintings as well as his exceptional draftsmanship. Back in Scotland he turned his attention to the painting of Scottish history and, with the help of his friend Sir Walter Scott, enjoyed considerable success during his lifetime. He was elected President of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1838.