William Allan (painter)

Sir William Allan
Born	1782 Edinburgh
Died	23 Feb. 1850
Nationality	Scottish
Known for	Painting

Sir William Allan RA (1782 – 23 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.

Allan was born in Edinburgh, the son of William Allan Snr., macer - a humble officer of the Court of Session. He was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, under William Nicol (1744?-1797), the companion of Robert Burns. Showing an aptitude for art, he was apprenticed to a coach-painter, and studied under John Graham at the Trustees' Academy, with David Wilkie, John Burnet, and Alexander George Fraser.

After a few years he came to London, and entered the schools of the Royal Academy. His first exhibited picture was a "Gipsy Boy with an Ass" (1803), in the style of John Opie. In 1805 he travelled, by ship, to Russia, but was wrecked at Memel, where he raised funds for the remaining journey by painting portraits of the Dutch consul and others. He then proceeded overland to St. Petersburg, passing through a great portion of the Russian army on its way to Austerlitz. At the Russian capital he found friends, including Sir Alexander Crichton, physician to the imperial family. Having learned Russian, he travelled in the interior of the country, and spent several years in the Ukraine, making excursions to Turkey, Tartary, and elsewhere, studying the culture of Cossacks, Circassians, and Tartars, and collecting arms and armour. In 1809 a picture by him of "Russian Peasants keeping their Holiday" was exhibited at the Royal Academy. His wish to return home in 1812 had to be postponed due to the French invasion of Russia, many of the horrors of which he witnessed first-hand.

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