Horatio McCulloch RSA 1805-1867

Horatio McCulloch R.S.A. was born in Glasgow in 1805, and very early in life devoted himself to landscape painting, but it is understood that he had a weary struggle during his earlier life.

About 1825 he was employed by My H Lizars to colour Selbys work on Ornithology and Dr Lizar’s Anatomy.  He remained with Lizars about a couple of years, and then returned to Glasgow, where he studied and worked with great assiduity, and in 1828 began to exhibit in the Exhibitions of the Dilettante Society there.

In 1829 he had one picture in the Exhibition of the Scottish Academy and again in 1831, 1833 and 1834.  They attracted attention, for in the latter he was elected an Associate of the Academy, and the year following his picture ‘A Vision Cadzon Pack’ stamped his position decisively, and he was elected an Academician on the first vacancy by 1838.

From this time he never failed to contribute largely to the Annual Exhibitions, and was until te close of his life the most popular landscape painter of his day in Scotland.

During his life his works influenced the Scottish School of Landscape painting to a greater extent than those of any other artist of the time.  They are confined almost entirely to Scottish Subjects – highland, Lake and Lowland river scenes.  Many have been acquired and were very popular.

He died at Trinity, near Edinburgh in 1867.

 Obituary from RSA 1867 Annual Report