Sir David Wilkie (1785–1841)

• Was a Scottish painter.
• He painted in a wide variety of genres, including historical scenes, portraits.
• His base was in London, but he died and was buried at sea, off Gibraltar, returning from his first trip to the Middle East.
• He was Principal Painter in Ordinary to King William IV and Queen Victoria.
• David Wilkie was born in Pitlessie Fife in Scotland.
• He was the son of the parish minister of Cults, Fife.
• He developed a love for art at an early age.
• In 1799, after he had attended school at Pitlessie, Kingskettle and Cupar.
• In 1804, Wilkie left the Trustees' Academy and returned to Cults.
• He established himself in the manse there, and began his first important subject-picture, Pitlessie Fair, which includes about 140 figures.
• In the spring of 1805 he left Scotland for London, carrying with him his Bounty-Money, or the Village Recruit, which he soon disposed of for £6, and began to study in the schools of the Royal Academy.
• One of his first patrons in London was Robert Stodart.
• The displayed painting is a crop from Sir David Wilkie, The Village Holiday, 1809–11.
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