List of Scottish artists explained

This is a list of notable artists born in Scotland and/or well known for their work in Scotland, arranged alphabetically by surname and by period.

Born before 1700

• John Alexander (died 1733), painter and engraver
• Arnold Bronckhorst (fl. 1565–1583), Dutch painter, the first King's Painter of Scotland
• William Gouw Ferguson (1632/3 – c. 1689), still life painter, active in France and Italy
• Gawen Hamilton (1698–1737), painter largely working in London
• George Heriot (1563–1624), Scottish goldsmith and jeweler
• George Jamesone (or Jameson, c. 1587–1644), Scotland's first eminent portrait painter
• David Paton, active 1660–1700, painter of miniatures
• François Quesnel (c. 1543–1619), Scotland-born French painter
• John Michael Wright (1617–1694), portrait painter in the Baroque style

Born 1700–1799

• Cosmo Alexander (c. 1724–1772), noted North American portrait painter^[1]
• David Allan (1744–1796), painter of historical subjects
• Andrew Bell (1726–1809), engraver and printer, co-founder of Encyclopædia Britannica
• John Zephaniah Bell (1794–1883), painter
• John Brown (1752–1787), artist
• Thomas Campbell (1790–1858), sculptor
• Alexander Carse (c. 1770–1843), painter known for scenes of Scottish life
• Robert Edmonstone (1794–1834), painter
• Robert Freebairn (1765–1808), landscape painter
• Andrew Geddes (1783–1844), portrait painter and etcher
• John Watson Gordon (1788–1864), painter
• Gavin Hamilton (1723–1798), Scottish neoclassical history painter
• David Ramsay Hay (1798–1866), artist, interior decorator and colour theorist
• Andrew Henderson (1783–1835), portrait painter
• John Kay (1742–1826), caricaturist and engraver
• William Home Lizars (1788–1859), painter and engraver
• William Miller (1796–1882), engraver
• Jacob More (1740–1793), landscape painter
• William Mossman, 1793–1851, sculptor
• Alexander Nasmyth (1758–1840), landscape painter
• Patrick Nasmyth (1787–1831), landscape painter, son of Alexander
• Jane Nasmyth (1788–1867), landscape painter, daughter of Alexander
• Barbara Nasmyth (1790–1870), landscape painter, daughter of Alexander
• Anne Nasmyth (1798–1874), landscape painter, daughter of Alexander
• Henry Raeburn (1756–1823), portrait painter
• Allan Ramsay (1713–1784), painter
• David Roberts (1796–1864), painter and lithographer
• Alexander Robertson (1772–1841), painter, brother of Andrew and Archibald
• Andrew Robertson (1777–1845), miniaturist painter
• Archibald Robertson (1765–1835), painter
• Alexander Runciman (1736–1785), painter of historical and mythical subjects
• John Runciman (1744–1768/9), painter known for Biblical and literary scenes, brother of Alexander
• Patrick Syme (1774–1845), flower-painter and color theorist
• Archibald Skirving (1749–1819), portrait painter
• Reverend John Thomson (1778–1840), landscape painter and minister of Duddingston Kirk
• William John Thomson RSA (1771–1845), portrait and miniaturist painter
• George Watson (1767–1837), painter
• David Wilkie (1785–1841), painter
• Hugh William Williams (1773–1829), landscape painter
• William Yellowlees (1796–1855), portrait painter

Born 1800–1899

• John Brown Abercromby (1843–1929), painter ranging from traditional portraiture to avant-garde modernism
• Patrick Adam (1852–1929), painter
• Robert Adamson (1821–1848), photographer
• John Macdonald Aiken (1880–1961), water-colourist and oil painter
• Lena Alexander (1899–1983), painter
• Jessie Algie (1859–1927), flower painter
• Andrew Allan (1863–1942), lithographer
• Robert Weir Allan (1851–1942), water-colour and oil painter of landscape and marine subjects
• Marion Ancrum (fl. 1885–1919), water-colour painter
• Hazel Armour (1894–1985), sculptor and medallist
• James Arroll (1862–1936), painter
• George Bain (1881–1968), art teacher whose writing revived interest in Celtic and Insular art
• James Ballantine (1806–1877), artist and author
• Penelope Beaton (1886–1963), painter
• Jemima Blackburn (1823–1909), painter and illustrator
• John Blair (c. 1849–1934), painter
• Muirhead Bone (1876–1953), etcher
• Phyllis Bone (1894–1972), sculptor
• William Bonnar (1800–1863), portraitist and history and genre painter
• William Brodie (1815–1881), sculptor
• Robert Brough (1872–1905), painter
• John Crawford Brown (1805–1867), landscape artist
• William Kellock Brown (1856–1934), sculptor
• Elizabeth York Brunton (1880 – c. 1960), painter
• Robert Bryden (1865–1939), artist, sculptor and engraver
• Thomas Stuart Burnett (1853–1888), sculptor
• Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell (1883–1937), member of the Scottish Colourists school
• James Cadenhead (1858–1927), painter
• Alexander Milne Calder (1846–1923), sculptor known for the architectural sculpture of Philadelphia City Hall
• Sir David Young Cameron (1865–1945), painter and etcher
• Mary Cameron (1865–1921), portraitist
• George Paul Chalmers (1833–1878), painter
• Thomas J Clapperton (1879–1962), sculptor
• James Cowie (1886–1956), painter
• Hugh Adam Crawford (1898–1982), painter
• William Crozier (1893–1930), landscape painter
• Jessie Alexandra Dick (1896–1976), painter and teacher
• Sir William Fettes Douglas (1822–1891), painter
• Thomas Millie Dow (1848–1919), painter, member of the Glasgow Boys school
• Jack M. Ducker (born 1890), painter specializing in Highland landscapes
• Ian Fairweather (1891–1974), Scottish/Australian painter
• Christian Jane Fergusson (1876–1957), Dumfries and Galloway landscape and still-life painter
• John Duncan Fergusson (1874–1961), member of the Scottish Colourists school
• Henry Snell Gamley (1865–1928), sculptor specialising in war memorials and tombs
• Robert Gavin (1827–1883), painter
• William Geissler (1894–1963), water-colourist of the natural world
• David Cooke Gibson (1827–1856), painter and poet
• James William Giles (1801–1870), Scottish landscape painter
• Sir William George Gillies (1898–1973), landscape and still-life painter
• Constance Frederica "Eka" Gordon-Cumming (1837–1924), travel writer and painter
• Mary Grant 1831–1908, sculptor
• Norah Neilson Gray (1882–1931), Glasgow School artist
• Herbert James Gunn (1893–1964), portraitist
• James Guthrie (1859–1930), painter
• Maggie Hamilton (1867–1952), painter
• Peter Alexander Hay (1866–1952)
• John Henderson (1860–1924), painter and Director of Glasgow School of Art
• Joseph Henderson (1832–1908), Scottish landscape painter
• George Henry (1858–1943), painter, one of the most prominent of the Glasgow School
• Joseph Morris Henderson (1863–1936), Scottish landscape painter
• Amelia Robertson Hill (née Paton, 1821–1904), sculptor and artist, wife of David Octavius
• David Octavius Hill (1802–1870), painter and photography pioneer as Hill & Adamson
• Edward Atkinson Hornel (1864–1933), painter of landscapes, flowers and foliage with children
• Anna Hotchkis (1885–1985), painter
• John Kelso Hunter (1802–1873), portrait painter and book author
• George Leslie Hunter (1877–1931), painter and Scottish Colourist
• Beatrice Huntington (1889–1988), artist, sculptor and musician
• John Hutchison, (1832–1910), sculptor
• Alexander Johnston (1815–1891), painter known for genre and history subjects
• Dorothy Johnstone (1892–1980), painter of landscapes and portraits, especially children
• Jeka Kemp (1876–1966), painter
• Annabel Kidston (1896–1981), painter
• Jessie M King (1875–1949), illustrator mainly of children's books, designer of jewellery and fabric
• Thomson Kirkwood (1820–1902), painter of landscapes and rural scenes
• Annie Rose Laing (1869–1946), painter
• Robert Scott Lauder (1803–1869), artist and portrait painter
• Andrew Law (1873–1967), artist and portrait painter
• William Mustart Lockhart (1855–1941), artist mainly of Glasgow-area landscapes in water-colours
• John Henry Lorimer (1856–1936), portraitist and genre painter, brother of architect Robert Lorimer
• Robert Macaulay Stevenson (1854–1952), painter
• Robert Walker Macbeth (1848–1910), painter, water-colourist and print-maker
• Henry Macbeth-Raeburn (1860–1947), painter and print-maker
• Dugald MacColl (1859–1948)
• Frances MacDonald (1873–1921), Glasgow School artist, sister of Margaret
• Margaret MacDonald (1865–1933), Glasgow School artist, wife of Charles Rennie Mackintosh
• James MacGillivray (1856–1938), sculptor
• William York Macgregor (1855–1923), landscape artist
• Esther Blaikie MacKinnon (1885–1934), painter and engraver
• Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928), architect, designer, husband of Margaret MacDonald
• Chica Macnab (1889–1980), painter and wood engraver
• James Herbert MacNair (1868–1955), Glasgow School artist, designer and teacher
• Harrington Mann (1864–1937), portraitist and decorative painter, member of the Glasgow Boys movement
• George Manson (1850–1876), water-colourist
• James McBey (1883–1959), painter, etcher and war artist
• Horatio McCulloch (1806–1867), landscape painter
• R. R. McIan (1803–1856), painter
• William McTaggart (1835–1910), landscape painter
• Arthur Melville (1858–1904), painter remembered for Oriental subjects
• James Coutts Michie (1859–1919), landscape and portrait painter
• Thomas Corsan Morton (1859–1928), artist known as one of the Glasgow Boys
• James MacLauchlan Nairn (1859–1904), Glasgow-born painter who influenced late 19th-century New Zealand painting
• Charlotte Nasmyth (1804–1884), landscape painter, daughter of Alexander Nasmyth
• Jessie Newbery (1864–1948), Glasgow School artist and embroiderer
• James Campbell Noble (1846–1913), landscape and marine painter
• Robert Noble, (1857–1917), painter of landscapes, first President of the Society of Scottish Artists
• Emily Murray Paterson (1855–1934), painter
• James Paterson (1854–1932), landscape and portrait painter associated with The Glasgow Boys movement
• Viola Paterson (1899–1981), painter, wood engraver
• Sir Joseph Noel Paton (1821–1901), painter of religious subjects
• Samuel John Peploe (1871–1935), member of the Scottish Colourist school of painting
• John Pettie (1839–1893), painter
• Sir George Pirie (1863–1946), artist associated with the Glasgow Boys in the 1880s
• John Quinton Pringle (1865–1925), painter influenced by Jules Bastien-Lepage and associated with the Glasgow Boys
• Annie Pirie Quibell (1862–1927), artist and archaeologist
• Arabella Rankin (1871 – c. 1935) painter and coloured woodcut artist
• Anne Redpath (1895–1967), artist best known for still life works
• Sir George Reid (1841–1913), landscape and portrait painter
• John Robertson Reid (1851–1926), painter
• John Stevenson Rhind (1859–1937), sculptor
• Robert Sivell (1888–1958), painter
• Sir John Robert Steell RSA (1804–1891), sculptor, including the statue of Sir Walter Scott at the Scott Monument
• David Watson Stevenson (1842–1904), sculptor of portraits and monuments in marble and bronze
• William Grant Stevenson (1849–1919), sculptor and painter
• David Macbeth Sutherland (1883–1973), painter of Scottish and Breton landscapes, and of portraits
• Adam Bruce Thomson (1885–1976), The Edinburgh School artist, landscape and portrait painter
• Ottilie Maclaren Wallace (1875–1947), sculptor
• Edward Arthur Walton (1860–1922), painter of landscapes and portraits
• Cecile Walton (1891–1956), painter, illustrator and sculptor
• George Fiddes Watt (1873–1960), portrait painter and engraver
• James Cromar Watt (1862–1940), artist, architect and jeweller
• Saul Yaffie (1898–1957), Jewish artist later known as Paul Jeffay

Born 1900–1949

• David Annand (born 1948), sculptor
• Gordon Robert Archibald (1905–1980), painter
• Eric Auld (1931–2013), painter
• Robert Bain (1911–1973), sculptor and art professor in South Africa
• Edward Baird (1904–1949), painter
• Barbara Balmer (1929–2017), painter
• Mardi Barrie (1930–2004), painter
• John Bellany (1942–2013), painter
• Helen Biggar (1909–1953), sculptor, film-maker and theatre designer
• Douglas Robertson Bisset (1908–2000), sculptor
• Sam Black (1913–1997)
• Robert Henderson Blyth (1919–1970)
• Leonard Boden (1911–1999), portrait painter
• Margaret Boden (1912–2001), painter
• John Boyd (1925–2018), milliner
• Mary Syme Boyd (1910–1997), artist and sculptor
• Jimmy Boyle (born 1944), sculptor, author and convicted murderer
• Mark Boyle (1934–2005)
• Howard Butterworth, painter working in Aberdeenshire since the 1960s
• John Byrne (born 1940)
• W. Lindsay Cable (1900–1949), illustrator for Punch and Enid Blyton
• Robert Colquhoun (1914–1962), painter and print-maker
• Henry Robertson Craig (1916–1984) landscape and flower painter
• Victoria Crowe (born 1945)
• Richard Demarco (born 1930), artist and promoter of visual and performing arts
• David Abercrombie Donaldson (1916–1996), painter and limner to Her Majesty The Queen
• Margaret Cross Primrose Findlay (1902–1968), sculptor and modeller
• Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006), sculptor and installation artist
• Hannah Frank (1908–2008), artist and sculptor
• Alison Cornwall Geissler MBE, (1907–2011), glass engraver
• Marianne Grant (1921–2007), artist
• Tom Gourdie (1913–2005), artist
• Alasdair Gray (1934–2019), artist and writer
• Thomas Symington Halliday (1902–1998), painter and sculptor
• Alison Kinnaird M.B.E (born 1949), glass artist, musician, teacher and writer
• Hew Lorimer (1907–1993), sculptor and brother of architect Robert Lorimer
• Edwin G Lucas (1911–1990), painter
• Robert MacBryde (1913–1966), painter and theatre-set designer
• Hamish MacDonald (1935–2008), artist
• Rory McEwen (1932–1982), artist and musician
• George McGavin (1915–2004), painter
• William MacTaggart (1903–1981), landscape painter
• John Maxwell (1905–1962), painter of landscapes and imaginative subjects
• David Michie (1928–2015), painter
• James Morrison (1932–2020), landscape painter
• John Lowrie Morrison (born 1948), expressionist oil painter of Scottish landscapes
• Alberto Morrocco (1917–1998), artist
• Eduardo Paolozzi (1924–2005), sculptor
• James McIntosh Patrick (1907–1998), painter of landscapes and portraits
• Ronald Rae (born 1946), granite sculptor and artist^[2]
• Pat Semple (1939–2021), landscape artist
• Pamela So (1947–2010), multimedia artist and photographer
• Ancell Stronach (1901–1981), artist
• Alan Sutherland (1931–2019), portrait painter
• Alasdair Taylor (1934–2007), sculptor
• Sylvia Wishart (1936–2008), Orcadian landscape artist
• George Wyllie MBE (1921–2012), sculptor known for public art

Born 1950–1999

• Crawfurd Adamson (born 1953), figurative artist
• Charles Avery (born 1973), artist
• David Batchelor (born 1955)
• Karla Black (born 1972), sculptor nominated for 2011 Turner Prize
• Martin Boyce (born 1967), sculptor
• Hugh Buchanan (born 1958), water-colourist
• Roderick Buchanan (born 1965), artist working in film and photography
• Paul Carter (1970–2006) artist known for constructions
• Stephen Conroy (born 1964)
• Andrew Cranston (born 1969), painter
• Ken Currie (born 1960), English-born member of New Glasgow Boys
• Helen Denerley (born 1956), sculptor often reusing scrap
• Alan Dimmick (born 1956), photographer of the Glasgow art scene.
• Helen Douglas (book artist) (born 1952), book artist
• Kate Downie (born 1958), painter and print-maker
• Erica Eyres (born 1980), Canadian-born artist
• Lizzie Farey (born 1962), willow sculptor and artist
• Michael Fullerton (born 1971), portrait painter based in London
• Anya Gallaccio (born 1963), creator of minimalist installations
• Douglas Gordon (born 1966), winner of 1996 Turner Prize
• Andrew Grassie (born 1966), painter in tempera
• Claire Harrigan (born 1964), painter
• Peter Howson (born 1958), painter and official war artist
• Richard Johnson (born 1966), Scotland-born and educated war artist
• Anna King (born 1984), painter
• Henry Kondracki (born 1953), painter
• David Mach (born 1956), sculptor and installation artist
• John McKenna (born 1964), public artist, statue and monument creator
• Abigail McLellan (1969–2009), artist
• Susan Philipsz OBE (born 1965), sound installation artist, winner of 2010 Turner Prize
• Andy Scott (born 1964), figurative sculptor
• Lucy Skaer (born 1975), sculptor and painter
• Carol Rhodes (1959–2018), painter
• Evlynn Smith (1962–2003), artist, designer and furniture maker
• Alexander Stoddart (born 1959), neoclassical sculptor
• Thomson & Craighead (Alison Craighead born 1971), works with video and internet
• Jack Vettriano (born 1951), painter
• Alison Watt (born 1965), painter

See also

• Art in Scotland
• List of Scottish women artists

Notes and References

1. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 . Marquis Who's Who . Chicago . 1963.
2. Book: David Buckman . Art Dictionaries Ltd . 1998 . Artists in Britain Since 1945 Vol 1, A to L . 0 95326 095 X.