Elected RSA: 7 November 1829
William Smellie Watson was one of the oldest and most esteemed members of the Royal Scottish Academy. The son of George Watson, first President of the Royal Scottish Academy, he was himself one of the original members.
Watson devoted himself to portrait painting and gained well-merited success. He contributed many works to the Royal Scottish Academy’s Annual Exhibitions, cited as having his portrait work hung in the RSA for nearly forty-five years almost without interruption. Amongst his notable works is portrait of Sir John Donaldson whose collection of musical instruments laid the foundations of the Musical Instrument Collection at The University of Edinburgh and their musical instrument museum St Cecilia’s Hall.
He was elected RSA on the 7th of November 1829.
