Francis Grant (artist)

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This article is about a Scottish artist. For the Scottish officer of arms, see Francis Grant (officer of arms).

Portrait of Queen Victoria, 1843

Sir Francis Grant (1803-1878) was a notable Scottish artist of the 19th century. He also served as President of the Royal Academy.

The son of a Scottish country gentleman, Grant was born in Kilgraston near Bridge of Earn in Perth and Kinross, and educated at Harrow School. He was a self-taught painter who first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1834 - a sporting picture called Melton Breakfast. Following a series of other successful sporting pictures (including The Melton Hunt and The Cottesmore Hunt), he became an established painter, highly sought-after as a portraitist. His subjects included Queen Victoria and Lord Palmerston.

An Associate of the Royal Academy from 1842, Grant was elected a full Academician in 1851. In 1866, on the death of Charles Eastlake, Edwin Landseer turned down the seat of Academy President, and Grant was elected instead. He was knighted soon afterwards.

He was the brother of General Sir James Hope Grant.