Robert Buchan Nisbet RSA 1857-1942

Born in Edinburgh in 1857, R. B. Nisbet died on the 15th August at Crieff, where he had resided for many years. His wife, Margaret Dempster, also anartist, died some time ago.

He was the son of John Nisbet, decorator, and the influence of his home was congenial to a career in art. Robert was, however, for a short time, engaged in business before he joined his elder brother Pollok, already a painter, in Venice. On his return from Venice he studied at the school of the Board of Manufactures in Edinburgh. 

Robert Nisbet was primarily a landscape painter in water-colours, though both at the beginning and the end of his career he used oils. In his customary medium his works were greatly appreciated abroad, and many of his drawings found a home in America.

As early as 1890 a picture, "Evening Stillness," was bought by the Chantrey Bequest, and he is represented in the public galleries of Dresden, Berlin, Munich, Leningrad, Leeds, Durban, Adelaide, Huddersfield, Pittsburg, and Auckland. He received a Diploma at the Dresden International of 1892, and gold medals at Antwerp and Vienna. His Diploma work is a watercolour entitled "Landscape with Rain Cloud."

Mr. Nisbet was a member of numerous art societies. To the Academy he was elected Associate in 1894 and Academician in 1902. He was an original member and the second chairman of the Society of Scottish Artists, latterly Honorary Member. He belonged both to the Scottish and English Water-Colour societies and the Royal Belgian Water-Colour Society. He was also member of the Royal Institute and the Royal British Artists.

"R.B." Nisbet was a very esteemed personality in the Scottish Art Club, and in recent years his periodic visits there, the meeting of old friends with accompanying engagements at golf and billiards, were an evident pleasure to him.

RSA Obituary, transcribed from the 1942 RSA Annual Report