About this artwork

This small oil portrait was probably painted in 1843 when David Octavius Hill started work on his huge painting of the Disruption of the Church of Scotland. The immense labour involved in recording the several hundred ministers and elders involved in the Disruption prompted the scientist Sir David Brewster to suggest to Hill that he should use photography rather than the pen or brush to capture the likenesses of the men before they left Edinburgh to return to their parishes. While Hill initially was sceptical, he quickly came to realise the potential of photography, not just as an aid to painting, but as an art form in its own right.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
  • title:
    Minister (unidentified)
  • date created:
    19th century
  • materials:
    Oil on millboard
  • measurements:
    irregular 18.40 x 14.90 cm; Framed: 28.00 x 24.20 x 5.00 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Given by Miss Aileen Graham 1987
  • accession number:
    PG 2714
  • gallery:
  • subject:
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David Octavius Hill

David Octavius Hill