Bough, SAMUEL, R.S.A.

Bough, SAMUEL, R.S.A., landscape-painter, was born 8th January 1822, at Carlisle, where for two years he was employed in the office of the town-clerk. He received hints from various painters, but never obtained any systematic art instruction. In 1845 he was a scene-painter in Manchester, and later in Glasgow, where Daniel Macnee, afterwards P.R.S.A., encouraged him to become a landscape-painter; and he shortly produced several sketches in Cadzow Forest, and 'Shipbuilding on the Clyde.' Among the more important of his oil-pictures are 'Edinburgh from the Canal' (1862); 'Holy Island' (1863); 'In the Trossachs' (1865); 'The Vale of Leith' (1866); 'Kirkwall Harbour' (1867); 'Borrowdale'; 'St Monance'; 'London from Shooter's Hill' (1872). His 'Royal Volunteer Review' (1860) is in the National Gallery of Scotland. His best oil-pictures are spirited and expressive in touch, and possess a fine sense of atmosphere; but he frequently painted carelessly and hurriedly, and produced much, especially during his later years, that was unworthy of his brush. His numerous water-colours are of more uniform excellence; they are strongly influenced by the example of David Cox, and are especially remarkable for the delicate gray tones of their skies. In 1857 Bough was elected A.R.S.A., and in 1875 R.S.A. He had settled in Edinburgh in 1855, where he died 19th November 1878. A collection of over 200 of his works was brought together in the Glasgow Institute in 1880.