John was the third of four children.[3] One of his elder sisters, Agnes MacWhirter was also a noted artist of still lifes.[4] He attended a school in Colinton, and after his father's death was apprenticed to Oliver & Boyd, booksellers in Edinburgh. He stayed there for only a few months and then in 1851 enrolled at the Trustees Academy under Robert Scott Lauder and John Ballantyne (1815–97). He spent long periods sketching and studying nature outdoors. His first painting to be exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy at age 14, was 'Old Cottage at Braid'. In 1880, he was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Scottish Academy. Exploring and painting abroad he visited Italy, Sicily, Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, Norway and the U.S.A. - the Alps being a great inspiration. He moved to London in 1867 and on 4 May 1893 was elected a Royal Academician.
MacWhirter by J. P. Mayall from “Artists at Home,” published 1884, Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC
MacWhirter specialised in romantic landscapes with a great fondness for trees, spending much time in the hilly countryside of Perthshire. Initially, under the influence of John Everett Millais, he experimented with the detailed images of the Pre-Raphaelites, but later adopted a more sweeping style. With John Pettie he illustrated Wordsworth's Poetry for the Young[5] (Strahan, 1863). With Waller H. Paton and others, MacWhirter illustrated The Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe (Hislop, 1869).
Familyedit
He married Catherine ('Katie') Cowan Menzies (b. 1843) in 1872, her brother-in-law the Rev. James McFarlan officiating. The couple lived at 1 Abbey Road, St. John's Wood in the 1870s, and had two daughters and two sons:
Agnes Helen ('Nan') *1873 who married the artist Charles Sims
^"Wordsworth's Poems for the Young: With Fifty Illustrations by John Macwhirter and John Pettie, and a Vignette by J.E. Millais ; Engraved by Dalziel Brothers". Alexander Strahan & Company. 21 January 1863 – via Google Books.
^"John MacWhirter". Art UK. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to John MacWhirter.
66 artworks by or after John MacWhirter at the Art UK site
Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections
Biography of John MacWhirter (Victorian painter) includes a transcription of his obituary in The Times of January 30, 1911
April 11, 2024
john, macwhirter, hoopfor, scottish, physician, physician, those, similar, name, john, mcwhirter, disambiguation, photographic, portrait, between, circa, 1889, circa, 1891, gates, forest, 1910, royal, academy, march, 1839, slateford, edinburgh, january, 1911, . hoopFor the Scottish physician see John MacWhirter physician For those of a similar name see John McWhirter disambiguation Photographic portrait of John MacWhirter between circa 1889 and circa 1891 The Gates of the Forest 1910 Royal Academy John MacWhirter RA 27 March 1839 in Slateford Edinburgh 28 January 1911 in London 1 was a Scottish landscape painter 2 Contents 1 Biography 2 Family 3 Bibliography 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBiography editJohn was the third of four children 3 One of his elder sisters Agnes MacWhirter was also a noted artist of still lifes 4 He attended a school in Colinton and after his father s death was apprenticed to Oliver amp Boyd booksellers in Edinburgh He stayed there for only a few months and then in 1851 enrolled at the Trustees Academy under Robert Scott Lauder and John Ballantyne 1815 97 He spent long periods sketching and studying nature outdoors His first painting to be exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy at age 14 was Old Cottage at Braid In 1880 he was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Scottish Academy Exploring and painting abroad he visited Italy Sicily Switzerland Austria Turkey Norway and the U S A the Alps being a great inspiration He moved to London in 1867 and on 4 May 1893 was elected a Royal Academician nbsp MacWhirter by J P Mayall from Artists at Home published 1884 Department of Image Collections National Gallery of Art Library Washington DCMacWhirter specialised in romantic landscapes with a great fondness for trees spending much time in the hilly countryside of Perthshire Initially under the influence of John Everett Millais he experimented with the detailed images of the Pre Raphaelites but later adopted a more sweeping style With John Pettie he illustrated Wordsworth s Poetry for the Young 5 Strahan 1863 With Waller H Paton and others MacWhirter illustrated The Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe Hislop 1869 Family editHe married Catherine Katie Cowan Menzies b 1843 in 1872 her brother in law the Rev James McFarlan officiating The couple lived at 1 Abbey Road St John s Wood in the 1870s and had two daughters and two sons Agnes Helen Nan 1873 who married the artist Charles Sims Helen Agnes 1875 x Sydney Malcolm Baird Ulric George 1878 Alan Gordon 1882 x Doris May CookMacWhirter has paintings in several British Collections including Royal Holloway University of London Cheltenham and Derby Art Gallery 6 Bibliography editMacWhirter John Landscape Painting in Water colour London Cassell 1900 Sinclair W M John MacWhirter R A his life and work The Art Annual 1903 MacWhirter John The MacWhirter sketch book Philadelphia Lippincott 1907 London Cassell 1908See also editWestern Cattle in StormReferences edit artnet AG Products Investor Relations www artnet com MacWhirter John Who s Who Vol 59 1907 p 1154 RootsWeb com Home Page wc rootsweb ancestry com Lee Sidney ed 1912 MacWhirter John Dictionary of National Biography 2nd supplement London Smith Elder amp Co Wordsworth s Poems for the Young With Fifty Illustrations by John Macwhirter and John Pettie and a Vignette by J E Millais Engraved by Dalziel Brothers Alexander Strahan amp Company 21 January 1863 via Google Books John MacWhirter Art UK Retrieved 17 August 2011 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to John MacWhirter 66 artworks by or after John MacWhirter at the Art UK site Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections Biography of John MacWhirter Victorian painter includes a transcription of his obituary in The Times of January 30 1911 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John MacWhirter amp oldid 1212198177, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
