Gourlay Steell
Gourlay Steell RSA (1819-1894) was a 19th-century Scottish artist.
Life
Gourlay was born on 22 March 1819 the son of John Steell, a wood-carver and Margaret Gourlay of Dundee. His elder brother John was a sculptor of national standing.
He studied under William Allan and Robert Scott Lauder.[1]
Aged only 13 he had his first piece displayed at the Royal Scottish Academy, a model of a greyhound, and in 1835 he displayed a full-size sculpture of a bloodhound. From that year until death he exhibited almost continually.[2]
In 1872 he was appointed the official painter of animals to Queen Victoria, succeeding Sir Edwin Landseer. In 1882 he replaced Sir William Fettes Douglas as Curator of the National Gallery of Scotland.
He died on 31 January 1894 at 23 Minto Street, Edinburgh[3] and was buried in Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh with his wife Jessie Anderson who had died 14 years earlier. The exceptionally modest grave has fallen, and lies forlornly in the westmost section of the cemetery, between two modern housing developments.
His son, David George Steell followed in his footsteps and became an animal artist.
Works
see[4]
- The Shooting Party, Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds
- Deerstalking on Jura, Glasgow Museums
- A Challenge, Glasgow Museums (two Highland cattle fighting)
- The Trysting Place, Glasgow Museums (three dogs)
- A Highland Parting, Dundee Art Gallery and Museum (sheep and Highland cattle at a river)
- John Hay Esq of Letham Grange, Angus Council
- Old Pets of Haddo, National Trust for Scotland (ponies)
References
- ↑ Dictionary of National Biography:Steell
- ↑ Dictionary of National Biography: Steell
- ↑ http://www.westblacket.org.uk/rhcontent/people.htm
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/artists/gourlay-steell
- Dictionary of National Biography: Steell