Home > Alexander Nasmyth

Born in Edinburgh, he studied at the Trustees’ Academy under Runciman , and, having been apprenticed as an heraldic painter to a coachbuilder, he, at the age of sixteen, attracted the attention of Allan Ramsay, who took the youth with him to London, and employed him upon the subordinate portions of his works. Nasmyth returned to Edinburgh in 1778, and was soon largely patronized as a portrait painter. He also assisted Mr Miller of Dalswinton , as draughtsman, in his mechanical researches and experiments; and, this gentleman having generously offered the painter a loan to enable him to pursue his studies abroad, he left in 1782 for Italy, where he remained two years.

On his return he painted the excellent portrait of Robert Burns, now in the Scottish National Gallery , well known through WalkerA walker is a walking tool for old and slightly disabled people. This consists of a frame that is about waist high. It it slightly wider than the person and it is about twelve inches deep. The person walks with it in front of them; with the frame surround’s engraving. Political feeling at that time ran high in Edinburgh, and Nasmyth’s pronounced LiberalIn terms of politics, the word liberal (or Liberal can refer to: an adherent of the ideology of liberalism or something in accordance to this ideology. Note: the words "liberal" or "liberalism" can be different in various countries and can be related to t opinions, which he was too outspoken and sincere to disguise, gave offence to many of his aristocratic patrons, and led to the diminution of his practice as a portraitist. In his later years, accordingly, he devoted himself mainly to landscape work, and did not disdain on occasion to set his hand to scene-painting for the theatres. He has been styled, not unjustly, the “father of Scottish landscape art.” His subjects are carefully finished and coloured, but are wanting in boldness and freedom.

Nasmyth was also largely employed by noblemen throughout the country in the improving and beautifying of their estates, in which his fine taste rendered him especially skilful; and he was known as an architectAn architect is a person licensed in the art of planning, designing and overseeing the construction of buildings, or more generally, the designer of a scheme or plan. See architecture or landscape architecture Architects and landscape architects are consi, having designed the Dean Bridge , Edinburgh, and the graceful circular temple covering St Bernard’s Well . Nasmyth died in his native city.

His youngest son, James NasmythJames Hall Nasmyth ( August 19, 1808 May 7, 1890) was an engineer and inventor famous for his development of the steam hammer. His father Alexander Nasmyth was a landscape painter of Edinburgh, where James was born. One of Alexander's hobbies was mechanic, was the well-known inventor of the steam hammerThe steam hammer is a power-driven hammer used in forgings. It consists of a hammer-like piston located within a cylinder. The hammer is raised by the pressure of steam injected into the lower part of a cylinder and falls down with a force by removing the. Alexander's six daughters all attained a certain local reputation as artists, but it was in his eldest son, Patrick Nasmyth , that the artistic skill of his family was most powerfully developed. (to separate article) Having studied under his father, Patrick went to London at the age of twenty, and soon attracted attention as a clever landscapist. He was a diligent student of the works of Claude and Richard WilsonRichard Wilson ( August 1, 1714 May, 1782) was a Welsh landscape painter, and one of the founder members of the Royal Academy in 1768. His landscapes were acknowledged as an influence by Constable and Turner. Extant works include: Landscapes Caernarfon Ca, and of Ruysdael and Hobbema , upon whom his own practice was mainly founded. His most characteristic paintings are of English domestic scenery, full of quiet tone and colour, and detailed and minute expression of foliage, and with considerable brilliancy of sky effect. They were executed with his left hand, his right having in early life been injured by an accident.