DOI issue:
Nr. 102 (Septembre 1901)
DOI article:D'Anvers, N.: Robert Weir Allan and his work
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19788#0260
R. IV. Allan
ROBERT WEIR ALLAN AND to contend with, which so sadden the spirits and
HIS WORK. BY MRS. ARTHUR limit the range of rruny young geniuses; but, on
BELL (N. D'ANVERS). the other hand, it must be remembered that
Glasgow was not then the art centre it has since
Robert Weir Allan, whose strong and emi- become,
nently individual seascape and landscape work has Robert Allan was not, as is so often taken for
done as much, perhaps, as that of any other artist to granted, a member of the Glasgow School of Art,
make known the rugged scenery of Scotland, was the truth being that he, with a few others like him,
brought up in a quiet and refined home amongst merely paved the way for its foundation. He
thoroughly artistic surroundings. His father was a really belongs to no individual school, his sym-
well-known lithographer and publisher, one of the pathies being far too wide to be called in any sense
first to turn to practical account the newly- local. He worked for a couple of years in or near
discovered art of chromo-lithography. He was, Glasgow, and as early as 1873 he exhibited at the
moreover, noted amongst his friends for his love Institute of that city his first important work, an
of art, and he owned a considerable number of oil-painting called A Sunny Day at Sea. A little
pictures. From his boyhood, therefore, young later his picture, Waiting the Tide, was hung at the
Allan must have been
familiar with art, and he
himself says that one of
his earliest recollections is
being carried by his nurse
into the room where the
paintings were hung, at
which he was never weary
of looking. When I
asked him what made him
choose to be a painter,
he replied, "Oh, I was
brought up in the midst
of painting. My father
dabbled a little with
colours himself, and I
think I inherited my love
of art from him. I did
n'it spring up suddenly as
an artist, as so many men
do. I was originally
intended," he added, "to
carry on the business,
and was educated as a
lithographer ; but I could
not be content with
merely mechanical work."
So strong, indeed, was
Robert Allan's love of
art, and so deep was his
sympathy with nature,
that his parents wisely
allowed him to follow his
bent, giving him every
possible facility in their
power. He had, therefore,
none of the hampering
anxieties about daily bread kobert w. allan, r.w.s.
XXIII. No. 102.—September, 1901. 229
ROBERT WEIR ALLAN AND to contend with, which so sadden the spirits and
HIS WORK. BY MRS. ARTHUR limit the range of rruny young geniuses; but, on
BELL (N. D'ANVERS). the other hand, it must be remembered that
Glasgow was not then the art centre it has since
Robert Weir Allan, whose strong and emi- become,
nently individual seascape and landscape work has Robert Allan was not, as is so often taken for
done as much, perhaps, as that of any other artist to granted, a member of the Glasgow School of Art,
make known the rugged scenery of Scotland, was the truth being that he, with a few others like him,
brought up in a quiet and refined home amongst merely paved the way for its foundation. He
thoroughly artistic surroundings. His father was a really belongs to no individual school, his sym-
well-known lithographer and publisher, one of the pathies being far too wide to be called in any sense
first to turn to practical account the newly- local. He worked for a couple of years in or near
discovered art of chromo-lithography. He was, Glasgow, and as early as 1873 he exhibited at the
moreover, noted amongst his friends for his love Institute of that city his first important work, an
of art, and he owned a considerable number of oil-painting called A Sunny Day at Sea. A little
pictures. From his boyhood, therefore, young later his picture, Waiting the Tide, was hung at the
Allan must have been
familiar with art, and he
himself says that one of
his earliest recollections is
being carried by his nurse
into the room where the
paintings were hung, at
which he was never weary
of looking. When I
asked him what made him
choose to be a painter,
he replied, "Oh, I was
brought up in the midst
of painting. My father
dabbled a little with
colours himself, and I
think I inherited my love
of art from him. I did
n'it spring up suddenly as
an artist, as so many men
do. I was originally
intended," he added, "to
carry on the business,
and was educated as a
lithographer ; but I could
not be content with
merely mechanical work."
So strong, indeed, was
Robert Allan's love of
art, and so deep was his
sympathy with nature,
that his parents wisely
allowed him to follow his
bent, giving him every
possible facility in their
power. He had, therefore,
none of the hampering
anxieties about daily bread kobert w. allan, r.w.s.
XXIII. No. 102.—September, 1901. 229