William Howison ARSA 1798 -1851

William Howison or Howieson was born in Edinburgh. He was educated at George Heriot's Hospital, and was apprenticed to an engraver named Wilson. He never received any instruction in drawing beyond what he acquired during his apprenticeship, and for some time he was chiefly employed upon small plates.

Some of these were after David O. Hill, R.S.A., and they attracted the attention of Sir George Harvey, who was the first to appreciate his talents, and gave him a commission to engrave his picture of 'The Curlers.' The merits of this engraving led to his election in 1838 as an associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, the only instance of such an honour having been conferred on an engraver.

He afterwards engraved 'The Polish Exiles,' after Sir William Allan, P.R.S.A., and 'The Covenanters' Communion,' and 'A Schule Skailin,' after Sir George Harvey, P.R.S.A., and at the time of his death was engaged upon 'The First Letter from the Emigrants,' after Thomas Faed, R. A., for the Association for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in Scotland.