William Fleming Vallance RSA 1827-1904

W.F. Vallance, R.S.A., was born at Paisley in 1827, but very early in life was taken at his father's death to Leith, where he spent his boyhood and received his education.

Having shown a taste for drawing and modelling he entered the Board of Trustees' School and went through a course of study under E. Dallas and Robert Scott lauder, R.S.A. In 1849 he exhibited for the first time in the Royal scottish Academy, "Portrait of a Lady."

A few years thereafter he turned his attention to the painting in oil and water colour of marine subjects, on which his reputation principally rests.

Among his principal works may be mentioned:- "The Lighthouse," 1858; "Herring Boats in a Storm," 1859; "The Combat," 1860; "The Abandoned," 1861; "Among the Breakers at Dunbar," 1862; "The Village Burn," 1864; "What care these Roarers for the Name of King," 1866; "Break, Break, Break," 1867; "The Salute," 1868; "Towing into Port," 1869; "Crossing the Bar," 1870; "Reading the War News" (Diploma Work), 1871 ; "The Bards of Bressay,"; 1872; "The Hero's Targe, Glenfinlas," 1875; "Breakers," 1877; "Largo Bay," 1878; "The Busy Clyde," 1880; "The Port of Leith," 1881 ; "Knocking on the Harbour Wall," 1884; "The Gathering Cloud," 1887.

He was elected as Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1875, and an Academician in 1881. His death took place on 30th August.

RSA Obituary by James Guthrie. Transcribed from the 1904 RSA Annual Report