John Warwick Smith 1749-1831

The majority of Smith's British subjects were Welsh and a Scottish watercolour is rare.  Indeed until 1950, it was not recorded that he had drawn in Scotland but in that year Basil Megaw, then Director of the Manx Museum, visited Blair Castle in Scotland and discovered twenty six views of Manx on the Isle of Man by Smith (now in the Manx Museum collection).  These were the result of the patronage of the 4th Duke of Atholl, and further research into the artist's link with the Duke revealed an undated account in Smith's hand which refers to £247.16.0 for 56 drawings `delivered to the Honble C. Greville for his Grace the Duke of Atholl'.  It would appear likely that this contract included the present work as it did a series of Perthshire views in the Blair Castle collection.