William Hunter Littlejohn RSA (1929-2006) was a highly distinguished Scottish artist practicing largely in watercolour and collage-based media.
Littlejohn was educated at Arbroath High School and then studied art at Dundee College of Art from 1946 to 1950. He served in the Royal Air Force for his National Service and taught in Angus and Arbroath High School from 1953 to 1966. He was appointed to the Department of Drawing and Painting at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, in 1966 and was promoted Head of Fine Art in 1970 and held that post until his retirement in 1986.
In 2006, William Littlejohn gifted the contents of his studio to the Royal Scottish Academy. This consisted of over 300 watercolours, oils, drawings and prints along with studio objects, sketch-books and research documents.
The RSA has since accessioned a number of key works into its permanent collection – these along with the books and studio objects form the William Littlejohn Studio Collection. Works from the gift have been exhibited in Edinburgh, Stonehaven, Forfar and Arbroath and the proceeds of the sales of any works are added to the bequest for future disbursal to artists participating in the William Littlejohn Award.
