David Octavius Hill RSA 1802 -1870

David Octavius Hill R.S.A. was a native of Perth where he was born in 1802.

His father who was a bookseller there noticing his sons love for Art, used every means in his power to foster and encourage this task, and sent him to study at the School of the Board of Trustees then superintended by Andrew Nelson.

Essentially a landscape painter, there was a time when his aim seemed figure painting, having composed some good pictures illustrative of Scottish life.

Shortly after the formation of the Royal Scottish Academy, Hill was appointed Secretary, acting in that capacity for the long period of Forty years, and only resigning from inferior health in 1869.

His resignation as Secretary of the Academy was secured by the body with expressions of extreme regret; and to mark their sense of his long and valuable services, they voted him his salary for life requesting him at the same time to sit to Mr Herdman, that his portrait might be added to collection in their library.

There is also a marble bust of him commissioned by the Academy for deposition in the Scottish National Gallery.

He died 17 May 18.