Erskine Nicol RSA 1825-1904

Erskine Nicol, R.S.A., was born in 1825 at Leith, where he was educated and placed for a time with a house-painter. He studied in the Board of Trustees’ School of Design under Sir William Allan, P.R.S.A., and Thomas Duncan, R.S.A.

In early life he was appointed teacher of drawing in Leith High School, and later was for about four years Art Teacher underthe Science and Art Department in Dublin. In 1849 he returned from Dublin to Edinburgh, and rapidly came into notice by his able works depicting Irish life and character.

He commenced to exhibit in the Royal Scottish Academy in 1842, and thereafter became a liberal and almost constant contributor to the Annual
Exhibition till 1886. He removed to London in 1863, where his works from that date were chiefly exhibited.

Among his numerous and characteristic works are: “Awarding Prizes in a Village School,” 1849; “The Onconveniencyof Single Life,” 1851; “If them Ducks would wait till I’m ready,’ 1852; “Hould me, or I’ll fight,” 1853; “An Irish Merry Making,” 1856; “A Contented Mind’s a Continual Feast,” 1857; “Come out o’ that!” 1859; “A Thingof Beauty is a Joy for Ever,’ “The Day
after the Fair” (Diploma Work), “Donnybrook Fair,” 1860: “His Own Fireside,” 1861 ; “A Wheedler,” “Notice to Quit,” 1863; “Renewal of the Lease refused,” 1864 ; “A Deputation,” 1865; “Paddy—His Mark,” 1869;
“A Country Booking-Office,” 1873; “Interviewing their Member,” 1880; “Looking out for a Safe Investment,"1885.

He was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1855, and attained the rank of Academician in 1859. In 1868 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy. On account of his health he went on the retired list in 1895, and died at Feltham, Middlesex, on 8th March.

RSA Obituary transcribed from the 1904 RSA Annual Report