Allan Ramsay
Scottish, 1713-1784, active in England
NationalityBritish
BiographyAllan Ramsay was born in Edinburgh, October 2, 1713 and died in Dover, August 10, 1784.Ramsay's elegant society portraits rivaled those of Reynolds in the mid eighteenth century. Educated in Scotland, Ramsay began his artistic training in 1729 at the Academy of St. Luke in his native Edinburgh. In 1732 he studied with the Swedish portrait painter Hans Hysing in London and subsequently established his professional practice there. During a trip to Italy in 1736-38 he studied with Francesco Imperiali in Rome and Francesco Solimena in Naples. On his return to London, Ramsay drew on connections with important Scottish families, and soon gained patronage among English clients as well. Following a second trip to Italy in 1754-57, he began painting royal portraits and became Principal Painter to George III in 1767. His painting career was virtually ended by a serious fall from a ladder in 1773, but his studio continued to produce replicas of his royal portraits. Ramsay turned to literary pursuits during his final years.
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