Allan Stewart

Who was Allan Stewart?

Allan Stewart was a Scottish painter who built his reputation on romantic, historical and particularly military paintings as well as landscapes and portraits. Born in Edinburgh on 11 February 1865, his father being the postmaster at Leith, Stewart was educated at the Edinburgh Institution. He studied art at the Royal Scottish Academy Schools where he was awarded several prizes, and also in Spain and France.

He showed paintings at the RSA, at the Royal Academy, at Glasgow and Liverpool, and at other provincial exhibitions. The paintings included a number depicting military events, including To the memory of brave men: The last stand of Major Allan Wilson at the Shangani, 4 December 1893, exhibited in 1896, The Mazoe relief, June 1896, an incident in the Matabele Rebellion in 1899, and in the following year, The Charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman. Another contemporary battle scene by Stewart was The Charge of the Gordon Highlanders at Dargai painted in 1898 and exhibited at the Fine Art Society.

In his paintings of contemporary military scenes, he often called upon veterans who had been present at the actions.