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William McTaggart RSA Wearing a Cap

Photographer: Moffat, John · 1819-1894

William McTaggart RSA Wearing a Cap

William McTaggart is now regarded as one of the most important Scottish landscapists, moving from a naturalistic style to one of near total…

William McTaggart is now regarded as one of the most important Scottish landscapists, moving from a naturalistic style to one of near total abstraction by the end of his life. He is thus seen as bridging the traditionalism of much 19th century Scottish painting with more radical departures originating in France in the last quarter of the 19th century.

A long-standing Member of the Royal Scottish academy, McTaggart received his early training under Robert Scott Lauder RSA in the Trustees' Academy in Edinburgh before joining the RSA Life School which he latterly served for many years as a Visitor (tutor).

The circumstances of the photograph are not known but McTaggart is seen wearing a seaman's cap and jacket.

These may be his own but could also potentially be props provided by the photographer, as this would appear to be a trimmed copy of a photograph which shows McTaggart seated and holding a brass telescope in both hands across his lap.

There is a copy of this full image photograph in the Archives of Loanhead Library in Midlothian. McTaggart's studio was at Broomieknowe in Loanhead. That image is reproduced as pl.105 on p.104 of Per Kvaerne's biography of McTaggart, where it is dated to c.1880.