William leighton leitch biography

Biography.
William Leighton Leitch (2 Nov 1804 – 25 April 1883) was a master Scottish landscape watercolour painter and illustrator.
Biography.

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William Leighton Leitch

Biography

Early in his career William Leighton Leitch worked as a painter of theatrical stage scenery in his hometown of Glasgow, Scotland. This was followed by a stint decorating snuff-boxes before moving to London where he resumed painting stage scenery but also began to produce watercolours and oils for exhibition.

Under the patronage of a stockbroker who appreciated his work, Leitch was able to travel to Italy for several years in 1833, visiting and drawing the principal cities, studying the old masters and teaching drawing to British residents. On his return to London in 1837 he was in demand as a teacher of drawing, and was eventually appointed Queen Victoria’s drawing master in 1846. In 1865 Leitch was given a royal annuity, and at the studio sale after his death (Christie’s, 13–15 March 1884) the Queen acquired many more drawings by ‘dear old Mr Leitch, my kind drawing Master’.

When Leitch’s membership to the Society of Painters in Water Colours was rejected he was shortly thereafter made a member of the Institute of Painters in Water Colours in

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Biography

Scottish painter. He was a painter of landscapes and figurative subjects, most usually in watercolour. His early love of art was fostered by meetings with Sir Daniel MacNee (1806-1882) and Horatio McCulloch (1805-1867) and he soon abandoned the career in law planned for him by his manufacturer father. After employment at 19 as a scene painter at the Theatre Royal, he quickly moved to Cummnock where alongside MacNee and McCulloch he decorated snuffboxes for a living.

Armed with a letter of introduction from David Roberts, he moved to London and was again employed as a scene painter, first at the Queen's Theatre and then at the Pavilion where he met Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867) and attracted the patronage of a wealthy stockbroker. He began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1841. A trip to Italy in 1854 on health grounds let indirectly to his becoming drawing instructor to Queen Victoria and members of her household, lessons that continued for almost 20 years, receiving a Royal annuity in 1864. He died in London.

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William Leighton Leitch

For the American politician, see William T. Leitch.

William Leighton Leitch (2 Nov 1804 – 25 April 1883) was a master Scottish landscape watercolour painter and illustrator. He was Drawing Master to Queen Victoria for 22 years. He was Vice President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, on Pall Mall in London, for twenty years.

Life

Leitch was born in Glasgow, the son of a soldier who had previously been a sailor. Leitch soon developed a strong inclination for art, and used to practise drawing at night with David Macnee, afterwards president of the Scottish Academy. After a good general education, he found employment in a lawyer's office, then as a weaver, then as an apprentice to a Mr. Harbut, house-painter and decorator.

In 1824 he was engaged as a scene-painter at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, and married Susannah Smellie, who bore him five sons and two daughters. The theatre failing, he spent two years at Mauchline, painting snuff boxes, and then moved to London, where he made the acquaintance of artists David Robe