Old Photograph Francis Grant Scotland

Old photograph of Francis Grant who was the fourth son of Francis Grant, Laird of Kilgraston, near Bridge of Earn by Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. Francis born 18 January 1803, died 5 October 1878, was a Scottish portrait painter, who painted Queen Victoria and many distinguished British aristocratic and political figures of the day. He served as President of the Royal Academy. Grant was educated at Harrow School in England, and inherited a large sum of money on the death of his father in 1818, a fortune which was apparently soon spent. He had a passion for fox hunting, fishing and other sports as a young man, and initially intended to become a lawyer. However, he left his studies to take up painting, of which he was mainly self taught, partly by copying the works of Velasquez and other masters, though he briefly spent time in the studio of Alexander Nasmyth. Between 1834 and 1879 he contributed no fewer than 253 works, many of which were full length portraits, to the exhibitions of the Royal Academy. Among these works were equestrian portraits of Queen Victoria and the prince consort, painted for Christ's Hospital; the Prince of Wales; an equestrian group of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort; Sidney Herbert, afterwards Lord Herbert of Lea; Lord John Russell, afterwards Earl Russell; Benjamin Disraeli, afterwards Earl of Beaconsfield; John Hick, afterwards MP for Bolton and Mrs Hick; General Sir James Hope Grant; Sir George Grey; Edward, earl of Derby, first lord of the treasury; Lord Clyde; Viscount Palmerston, painted for Harrow School; Viscount Gough; Lord Truro, lord high chancellor; Sir Frederick Pollock, lord chief baron; Sir William Erle, lord chief justice of the common pleas; John Sumner, archbishop of Canterbury; George Moberly, bishop of Salisbury; and John Gibson Lockhart. His portraits of the Marchioness of Waterford, exhibited in 1844, the Marchioness of Bristol, and of Mrs Markham, exhibited in 1857, were just some of the ladies he painted. Grant was elected an associate of the Royal Academy, and in 1851 an academician. 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. After some years of gradually failing health, Grant died of heart disease very suddenly at his residence, The Lodge, Melton Mowbray,in England, on 5 Oct. 1878, and was interred in the church of England burial ground in that town, his relatives having declined the usual honour of burial in St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir Francis was the brother of General Sir James Hope Grant, and the father of Anne Emily Sophia Grant, whose portrait, by her father, hangs in the National Gallery in Edinburgh, and has been noted for its depiction of Victorian womanhood. Among several sons was Ferdinand Hope Grant, who played first class cricket and was also a chaplain to the Prince of Wales. His niece was the eminent Victorian sculptress, Mary Grant. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.