James Orrock

Who was James Orrock?

James Orrock RI, was a prominent Scottish collector of art and oriental ceramics, illustrator and landscape watercolourist. Today, he is also considered as the main source of forgeries from the later 19th century, associated with copies of the works of John Constable.

The son of an Edinburgh dentist, he was himself educated in medicine, surgery, and dentistry at Edinburgh University, after which he practised as a dentist in Nottingham. Orrock studied painting under James Ferguson, William L. Leitch, and John Burgess, later enrolling at the Nottingham School of Design where he was taught by Thomas Stuart Smith.

He settled in London by 1866, becoming an associate of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 1871, exhibiting at the Royal Scottish Academy and Royal Academy. His later style was highly influenced by David Cox, his paintings today are on show in various museums and galleries, including the Victoria and Albert Museum.

A strong advocate of J. M. W. Turner and British art in general, he was a renowned collector of paintings and oriental ceramics. A landscape painter and watercolourist, he is now believed to have and is thought to restored, altered and improved works by other painters within his collection. Orrock created art-period rooms in his house, which he opened to the general public.