Robert Brough


1872 - 1905

Artist. Born in Delny (near Invergordon in Highland), Brough was raised in Aberdeen by his mother who had been a lady's maid to the Duchess of Hamilton, but his father is unknown. He served as an apprentice lithographer to Messrs Gibb & Co. while also training at Aberdeen School of Art. He later entered the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, where he won prizes for painting and composition. He then spent two years in Paris where he shared a studio with his friend S.J. Peploe (1871 - 1935), before returning to Aberdeen in 1894, where he established himself as a portrait painter and political cartoonist. His work was influenced by Diego Velázquez and Sir Henry Raeburn (1756 - 1823), as well as his visits to France.

A number of his paintings are to be found in public collections: Fantaisie en Folie, is held by the Tate Gallery in London, whilst others of his portraits are held by the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Art Gallery, the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow Museums and the McManus Galleries in Dundee.

He died from burns received as the result of a railway crash at Cudworth near Barnsley (Yorkshire), while occupying a sleeper compartment on the night train to London.


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