(b Edinburgh, 2 Oct 1713; d Dover, 10 Aug 1784). Scottish painter and writer. He practised mainly in London, but also in Edinburgh on occasional visits to his native Scotland; accordingly he belongs to the history of both English and Scottish art. From 1738 to c. 1760 he was the leading British portrait painter, playing a major part in the establishment of a national school and in 1761 becoming Painter to King George III. At first Ramsay combined intimate characterization with the Baroque conventions of his Italian masters, but in the mid-1750s, under French influence, he developed a new, informal style, creating a ‘natural’ portraiture that influenced Reynolds, Gainsborough and Henry Raeburn.

• Ramsay, Allan (1713-84)
  • Allan, David
  • Scotland, §XV: Art education
  • assistants
    • Aken, Joseph van
    • Toms, Peter
  • collaboration
    • Gosset, Isaac
  • methods
    • Drapery painter
  • patrons and collectors
    • Fox
    • Grenville: (1) Richard Grenville
    • Hanover: (3) George III, King of Great Britain
    • Hunter, William
    • Mead, Richard
    • Scotland, §XII, 3: Patronage, c 1660–1800
  • personal collection
    • Scotland, §XIII: Collecting and dealing
  • pupils
    • Martin, David
    • Nasmyth: (1) Alexander Nasmyth
    • Reinagle: (1) Philip Reinagle
  • reproductive prints by others
    • Baron, Bernard
    • Ryland, William Wynne
  • teachers
    • Hysing, Hans
    • Imperiali
    • Solimena: (2) Francesco Solimena, §2(ii): Working methods and technique: His role as teacher
  • works
    • Edinburgh, §2: Art life and organization
    • England, §III, 3(i): Portraiture and subject painting, c 1620–c 1830
    • Frame, §IV, 5: Britain: Late Baroque
    • Frame, §IV, 6: Britain: Palladian
    • More, Jacob
    • Scotland, §III, 2: Painting and graphic arts, 1700–1850
  • writings
    • Hogarth, William, §1(ii): Mature work, 1731–58