Biography
Born
1766
Died
1837
Nationality
Scottish
Birth place
Scotland: Scottish Borders
Death place
Edinburgh
Born in Berwickshire, the son of wealthy Scottish landowners, George Watson trained under Alexander Nasmyth in Edinburgh before spending two years in London with Sir Joshua Reynolds. He returned to Scotland and set up his own practice as a portrait painter. Although successful, he worked under the shadow of Raeburn, whose style he followed. He was one of the founder members of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1826 and its first president.