Thomson, JOHN

Thomson, JOHN, minister of Duddingston and landscape-painter, was born 1st September 1778 at Dailly in Ayrshire, and, in spite of his wishes to be an artist, was trained to follow the sacred profession of his father and grandfather. He completed his theological studies in Edinburgh, taking some lessons, however, from Nasmyth, the painter, and in 1800 became his father's successor at Dailly. Hence in 1805 he was transferred to the parish of Duddingston near Edinburgh, where, along with the faithful performances of parochial duties, he found time to paint the large series of landscapes in virtue of which he ranks amongst the best, as he was the first of Scottish landscape-painters. His style, though characteristic, reflects the influence of the Dutch, French, and Italian schools. He died 27th Oct. 1840. See a monograph by W. Baird (1895).