Page:Bryan's dictionary of painters and engravers, volume 1.djvu/44

 century. He chiefly produced illustrations for topographicid works — such as ' Views in Cumber- land and Westmoreland.' in 1796, and ' Views in North Wales; in 1798.

ALLAIS, Jean Alex.wdre, the son of artistic parents, was born in Paris in 1792. His father, Loois Jean Allais (1762 — 1833), was an engraver of merit, and his mother, nee Briceau, practised the same art. Jean- Alexandre studied under David, Urbain, iMassard, and Fosseyeux, and soon became famous for his prints,^which were for the most part executed in aquatint. He engraved chiefly after the works of Schoppin, Jacquand, Fragonard, Dubufe, and Leonardo da Vinci. Allais died in Paris in 1850.

ALLAMAGNA. See Alemaitoo, Jdstus d'.

ALLAN, David, a Scotch painter, was born at Alloa, in 1744. He received the rudiments of his art in the Academy at Glasgow, founded by Kobert and Andrew Foulis, the printers. He went to Italy in 1764, to pursue his studies, and gained in 1773 at Rome the prize medal, given by the Academy of St. Luke for the best historical composition, by his ' Corinthian Maid drawing the shadow of her lover.' He resided there for nearly fourteen years, and painted landscapes in the style of Caspar Poussin. He returned in 1777, and supported himself by portrait painting in London until 1780, soon after which he settled in Edinburgh, where he was made, in 1786, master of the Academy. He died near Edinburgh in 1796. Allan is sometimes called the ' Hogarth of Scotland.' He made in 1787 four humorous drawings of the Sports of the Carnival at Rome, which were engraved by Paul Sandby. He also designed and engraved a series of illustra- tions to Allan Ramsay's 'Gentle Shepherd,' pub- lished in 1788, and etched some plates for the ' Songs of the Lowlands of Scotland,' published in 1798. David Allan's portrait, by himself, is in the Scottish National Gallery.

ALLAN, Sir William, was born in Edinburgh, in 1782, and was in the first instance apprenticed to a coach painter, but afterwards studied some years at the 'frustees' Academy in the above-named city, where he was the fellow-student of David Wilkie, and John Burnet the engraver. Allan was the first of the triumvirate to make his way to London. He began by taking Opie for his model, imitating him very closely in a picture, called ' A Gipsy Boy and Ass,' which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1805. In this year, disappointed of the success he had looked for in the metropolis, he went to St. Petersburg, where, through the kind offices of Sir Alexander Crichton, then physician to the imperial family, he met with considerable patronage as a portrait painter. He afterwards visited tlie interior of Russia, Tartary, and Turkey, where he collected materials for many original and characteristic works, which he afterwards painted, illustrative of the scenery and customs of eastern Europe. In 1809 he sent a picture to the Royal Academy called ' Russian Peasants keeping their Holiday,' but this did not attract much attention ; and he did not again contribute to the Exhibition for the next six years. In 1814 he returned to London, and in 1815 -exhibited his picture of 'Circassian Captives,' now in the possession of the Earl of Wemyss. This was followed by ' A Circassian Chief selling to a Turkish Pasha captives of a neighbouring tribe taken in war,' and others of similar scenes which the artist had witnessed in his travels. But these productions did n(jt sell at the time (some of them are now in the possession of the Emperor of Russia), and the artist was so disheartened that he talked of retiring to the wilds of Circassia, when Sir Walter Scott stepped in, and started a lottery of one hundred subscribers of ten guineas each for the last-named picture, which, although the list was not entirely filled, put a considerable sum into Allan's pocket. This happy circumstance caused him to alter his views, and remain at home, enjoying the patronage of such friends as the great novelist introduced to him. He now, with the sole exceotion of a picture of ' Tartar Robbers dividing their Spoil,' adopted a class of subjects whuUy different from those he had attempted before ; as, ' A Press Gang,' 'The Parting between Prince Charles Stuart and Flora Macdonald at Portree,' and ' Jeannie Deans's first Interview with her Father after his return from London;' he, however, still made but little progress in public favour, and again he was almost giving way to despair, when his sketch of ' The Murder of Archbishop Sharp on Magus Muir,' so admirably described in ' Old Mortality,' attracted the notice of Sir Walter Scott, who encouraged him to make a picture of it, which was purchased by Mr. Lockhart, and, being engraved, was published with much success. Allan now resolved to devote himself entirely to subjects of Scottish history ; and his next work of consequence was ' John Knox admonishing Mary Queen of Scots on the day when her intention to marry Darnley had been made public,' exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1823, and well known by the fine engraving of it by Burnet. This was followed in 1824 by 'Sir Patrick Lindesey of the Byres and Lord William Ruthven compelling Mary Queen of Scots to sign her abdication,' and in 1825 by 'The Regent Murray shot by Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh,' which was exhibited at the Royal Academy, and bought by the Duke of Bedford for 800 guineas. This picture procured Allan's election as an Associate of the Academy. The works which next followed from his pencil were of unequal merit. Amongst the best were, in 1831, ' Lord Byron reposing in the house of a Turkish Fisherman, after swimming across the Hellespont,' and a ' Portrait of Sir Walter Scott sitting in his study reading the proclamation of Mary Queen of Scots previously to her marriage with Darnley ' (engraved by Burnet). In 1833 ne produced a picture entitled ' The Orphan,' and representing Anne Scott seated on the floor near her father's chair at Abbotsford. This was bought by Queen Adelaide, and is now in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace. Allan paid a second visit to the Continent in 18.30, and in 1834 visited Spain. His picture called ' The Moorish Love Letter,' and other characteristic productions now exhibited, secured his promotion to the rank of Royal Academician in 1835. In 1838 he was chosen to fill the presidential chair of the Royal Scottish Academy, rendered vacant by the death of George Watson; and in 1841 he succeeded Sir David Wilkie as Limner to the Queen for Scotland, an office which entitles the holder to the honour of knighthood, and a small salary. In 1843 Sir William Allan exhibited at the Royal Academy his picture of ' The Battle of Waterloo,' which was purchased by the late Duke of Wellington. He exhibited another and larger picture of the same subject at the Fine Arts competition in Westminster