Robert L. Alexander was a significant figure in Scottish art during the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in 1840 and passing in 1923, his life spanned a period of considerable change and development in the art world. He earned recognition as a member of The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), a prestigious institution that underscored his standing within the national art scene. While the provided information contains some points that may conflate him with other individuals of the same name or later periods, this account will focus on the historical Robert L. Alexander, the Scottish painter, clarifying his artistic background, style, and contributions.
Artistic Lineage and Early Influences
Robert L. Alexander hailed from a family with artistic inclinations, which likely nurtured his own talents from an early age. His father, James Alexander, was also a painter, providing an immediate familial connection to the art world. This environment undoubtedly played a role in shaping his career path. Further enriching this artistic heritage was his son, Edwin Alexander (1870-1926), who would go on to become a highly respected painter in his own right, particularly known for his delicate watercolors of birds and animals, and also a member of the Royal Scottish Academy. The provided text also mentions an uncle, Marty Alexander, as a sculptor, suggesting a broader creative milieu within the family. Such a background often provides not only encouragement but also practical learning opportunities for an aspiring artist.
The Scotland of Alexander's youth was a place with a burgeoning national artistic identity. Artists like Horatio McCulloch were defining Scottish landscape painting, while Sir Edwin Landseer, though English, had an immense impact on animal painting throughout Britain, popularizing subjects that Alexander himself would later explore. The general Victorian appetite for narrative, sentiment, and detailed realism also formed part of the broader cultural backdrop against which Alexander would develop his own artistic voice.
Development of an Artistic Style
Robert L. Alexander became particularly renowned for his depictions of animals, especially dogs, horses, and scenes of rural life. His work is characterized by a sympathetic and observant eye, capturing the character and anatomy of his subjects with skill. The provided notes suggest his style was considered "diverse and innovative," and that he employed a "wet-on-wet" technique. This technique, allowing for rapid execution and blended, soft edges, would be well-suited to capturing the textures of animal fur or the fleeting effects of light in a landscape setting.
The mention of a unique "poking" or "jabbing" feel in his brushwork is intriguing. This could suggest a more direct, perhaps even somewhat impressionistic application of paint in certain passages, adding texture and vivacity to his surfaces, moving beyond a purely smooth, academic finish. While the idea of him pushing landscape "into the realm of abstraction by reducing spatial sense" might be an overstatement for a painter of his era and typical subject matter, it's possible that in some works, his focus on pattern, texture, or a flattened perspective for compositional effect could have been interpreted by some as an early move towards more modern sensibilities, or at least a departure from strict academic naturalism. However, his primary reputation rests on his ability to render animals and rural scenes with convincing realism and often a touch of warmth or narrative.
His commitment to animal painting places him in a strong tradition. In 19th-century Britain, animal painting was extremely popular, with artists like Briton Rivière and John Emms in England, and Gourlay Steell in Scotland, achieving considerable success. Alexander's contribution was to this specific and well-loved genre, bringing his own observational acuity.
Encounters and Artistic Circles
An artist's development is often shaped by interactions with contemporaries. The provided information notes an encounter with James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) in Venice, from whom Alexander purportedly learned about "delicate brushwork and thin paint layers," leading to a long-standing friendship. Whistler, an American artist who spent much of his career in Britain and France, was a pivotal figure known for his aestheticism, tonal harmonies, and distinctive painting techniques. An association with Whistler, if historically accurate for this Robert L. Alexander, would indeed have been significant, potentially exposing Alexander to more avant-garde ideas than were prevalent in some Scottish circles at the time. Whistler's emphasis on "art for art's sake" and his subtle, atmospheric effects could have offered a counterpoint to more traditional narrative or descriptive painting.
The mention of interactions in Rome with David Martin and Jacob More is problematic for Robert L. Alexander (1840-1923), as Martin (1737-1797) and More (1740-1793) were prominent Scottish artists of a much earlier generation, active in the late 18th century. It is more likely that an earlier artist named Alexander, perhaps John Alexander (c. 1686 – c. 1766), or another figure, interacted with them. Such chronological discrepancies highlight the challenges of piecing together historical narratives from fragmented or conflated sources. For Robert L. Alexander (1840-1923), his primary artistic community would have been centered around the Royal Scottish Academy and his Scottish contemporaries.
Within Scotland, he would have been aware of, and likely interacted with, figures such as William McTaggart, a leading Scottish impressionist landscape and seascape painter, or Joseph Farquharson, known for his snowy landscapes with sheep. The RSA itself was a hub for artists, fostering exhibitions, discussions, and a sense of shared artistic endeavor. Other RSA members of his era whose work he would have known include landscape painters like George Paul Chalmers or history and portrait painters.
Representative Works and Thematic Concerns
While the provided text initially states that "No clear mention of Robert L. Alexander's main art works" is available, and later lists titles that seem to belong to literary or dramatic works by a different individual, or architectural plans by yet another, we can deduce the nature of his oeuvre from his reputation as an animal and rural life painter. His paintings frequently featured collies, terriers, and other dog breeds, often depicted with a keen understanding of their expressions and postures. Horses, cattle, and sheep within pastoral landscapes were also common subjects.
Titles typical of his output include works like "Wat and Weary," "The Happy Mother" (often depicting a mother dog with her pups), "A Collie and Pups," "The Day's Bag," and numerous portraits of prized animals or scenes of farm activity. These subjects resonated strongly with Victorian and Edwardian audiences, who appreciated depictions of domesticity, rural virtue, and the loyal companionship of animals. His works would have been exhibited regularly at the Royal Scottish Academy, the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, and other British venues.
The emotional content of his work, often imbued with a gentle sentimentality, was a hallmark of much popular art of the period. However, this was generally underpinned by solid draughtsmanship and a careful observation of nature, preventing his work from becoming overly saccharine. He captured the textures of fur, the dampness of a Scottish mist, or the ruggedness of a highland setting with proficiency.
The Royal Scottish Academy and Professional Standing
Robert L. Alexander's association with The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) was a cornerstone of his career. He was elected an Associate of the RSA (ARSA) in 1878 and became a full Academician (RSA) in 1888. Membership in the RSA signified peer recognition and provided a prestigious platform for exhibiting his work. The Academy, founded in 1826, played a crucial role in promoting Scottish art and artists, establishing a national school, and providing art education.
As an RSA member, Alexander would have participated in the Academy's annual exhibitions, contributing to the vibrant artistic life of Edinburgh. His paintings would have been seen alongside those of other leading Scottish artists of the day, spanning various genres from portraiture by Sir George Reid to the evocative landscapes of Lawton Wingate or the narrative paintings of Erskine Nicol (though Nicol spent much time in London). His consistent focus on animal subjects would have carved out a distinct niche for him within this esteemed body.
Later Career and Legacy
Robert L. Alexander continued to paint into the early 20th century, a period that saw the rise of modernism and significant shifts in artistic taste. While new movements like Post-Impressionism, Fauvism (with Scottish adherents like J.D. Fergusson or S.J. Peploe, known as the Scottish Colourists), and Cubism were challenging traditional approaches to art, Alexander largely remained true to his established style of animal and genre painting. This was not uncommon for artists of his generation who had built successful careers on a particular mode of representation.
His legacy lies in his contribution to the tradition of Scottish animal painting. He was a skilled practitioner who captured a way of life and a relationship with the animal world that was central to Scottish identity, particularly in rural areas. His works are held in various public and private collections, and they continue to be appreciated for their technical skill, charm, and depiction of a bygone era. While perhaps not an avant-garde innovator in the mold of the emerging modernists, his dedication to his chosen subjects and his standing within the Scottish art establishment of his time secure his place in the annals of Scottish art history. His son, Edwin Alexander, would carry on the family's artistic distinction, albeit with a different stylistic emphasis, focusing on more decorative and delicate renderings, particularly in watercolor.
Conclusion
Robert L. Alexander (1840-1923) was a respected Scottish painter, primarily celebrated for his affectionate and skillful portrayals of animals, especially dogs, and scenes of Scottish rural life. A member of an artistic family and an Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy, he operated within a strong tradition of representational art that was highly popular during his lifetime. While some information provided initially may have pointed to other individuals or later artistic styles, a focused look at the historical painter reveals an artist dedicated to his craft, who captured the character of his animal subjects and the atmosphere of the Scottish countryside with proficiency and warmth. His work offers a valuable window into the artistic tastes and cultural values of late Victorian and Edwardian Scotland, and he remains a notable figure within the lineage of Scottish animal painters. His art, though perhaps not revolutionary, was well-crafted, sincere, and found a ready audience, contributing to the rich tapestry of Scottish art during his era.
