Scottish Art

15 Scottish Artists You Should Know

18 February 2026

Charlotte Cockburn

Scottish art has long held a distinctive place in the history of British and European painting. From the formal portraiture of the Victorian period to the bold experimentation of the Glasgow Boys, the Edinburgh School and today's leading contemporary artists, Scotland has produced generations of painters whose work continues to attract collectors around the world.

Whether you're discovering Scottish art for the first time or looking to buy or sell at auction, these fifteen artists provide an excellent introduction to the breadth of Scotland's artistic tradition. Listed chronologically, they chart more than 150 years of artistic development while highlighting names that regularly appear in Lyon & Turnbull's Fine Art auctions.

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Artists

Daniel Macnee

Scottish 1902 - 2000

One of Scotland's foremost Victorian portrait painters, Sir Daniel Macnee built his reputation on elegant society portraits that captured the leading figures of nineteenth-century Scotland. After succeeding Sir George Harvey as President of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1876, he was knighted the following year. His work can still be found in major public collections, while his portraits remain sought after by collectors of Scottish academic painting.

Artists

James Paterson

Scottish 1854 - 1932

A founding member of the Glasgow Boys, James Paterson helped reshape Scottish landscape painting by moving away from academic convention towards a more natural and atmospheric style. Influenced by time spent in France, his paintings are celebrated for their subtle colour harmonies and quiet depictions of the Scottish countryside, particularly around Moniaive in Dumfriesshire.

Artists

David Gauld

Scottish 1865 - 1936

Another leading Glasgow Boy, David Gauld balanced decorative figure paintings with landscapes and cattle scenes that reflected his close observation of rural life. His work combines careful draughtsmanship with a softer, more expressive handling of paint, making him an important figure in the development of Scottish naturalism.

Artists

Anna Dixon

Scottish 1873 - 1959

Anna Dixon studied at Glasgow School of Art before establishing a career centred on landscape and rural life. Working in both Scotland and Brittany, she developed a painterly style that reflected contemporary European influences while remaining rooted in everyday subjects. Although less widely known than some of her contemporaries, her work has attracted growing appreciation among collectors of Scottish art.

The Scottish Colourists

Artists

Samuel John Peploe

Scottish 1871 - 1935

Artists

Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell

Scottish 1883 - 1937

Artists

John Duncan Fergusson

Scottish 1874-1961

Artists

George Leslie Hunter

Scottish 1877 – 1992

One of the celebrated Scottish Colourists, Samuel John Peploe is best known for luminous still lifes and landscapes that combined bold composition with rich, confident colour. Inspired by developments in French painting, particularly Post Impressionism, Peploe produced works that remain among the most desirable in the Scottish art market.

Francis Cadell brought elegance and modernity to Scottish painting through his stylish interiors, portraits and views of Iona. His sophisticated handling of light and colour reflected his admiration for French art while retaining a distinctly Scottish character. Today, Cadell's paintings are among the most recognisable and highly collected works of twentieth-century Scottish art.

The most internationally connected of the Scottish Colourists, J.D. Fergusson spent much of his career in Paris, where he absorbed the energy of European modernism. His portraits, dancers and café scenes demonstrate a confident use of colour and movement, helping establish Scotland as an important contributor to early twentieth-century modern art.

Largely self-taught, George Leslie Hunter developed a vibrant style that blended expressive brushwork with bold colour. His still lifes and landscapes reveal the influence of French painting while retaining a freshness that continues to appeal to collectors. Alongside the other Scottish Colourists, Hunter played a pivotal role in bringing modern European ideas into Scottish art.

Artists

Anne Redpath

Scottish 1895-1965

Anne Redpath became one of the defining painters of the Edinburgh School through her colourful still lifes, interiors and floral compositions. Her instinctive use of colour transformed familiar domestic objects into lively arrangements of shape and texture. In 1952 she became the first woman elected a full Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy.

Mary Armour | Valuations, Buy, Sell at Auction

Artists

Mary Nicol Neill Armour

Scottish 1902 - 2000

Mary Armour was celebrated for expressive still lifes, landscapes and interiors that reflected her love of colour and pattern. Working across Scotland and Europe, she developed a distinctive style that balanced decorative composition with confident brushwork. Her paintings remain popular with collectors seeking examples of twentieth-century Scottish painting.

Artists

William MacTaggart

Scottish 1903 - 1981

Grandson of the celebrated landscape painter William McTaggart, Sir William MacTaggart forged his own path through an expressive approach to landscape. A leading member of the Edinburgh School, his paintings were shaped by travels in France, admiration for Edvard Munch and a lifelong fascination with the Scottish landscape.

Artists

William Gillies

Scottish 1898-1973

William Gillies became one of Scotland's most respected landscape painters through his sensitive depictions of East Lothian, the Borders and Edinburgh. His restrained palette and intimate observation of place established him as a central figure within the Edinburgh School, while his long career as a teacher at Edinburgh College of Art influenced generations of Scottish artists.

Artists

John Bellany

Scottish 1942 - 2013

John Bellany transformed personal experience into powerful figurative paintings rooted in Scotland's east coast fishing communities. Rich in symbolism and emotion, his work explored themes of faith, mortality and identity while helping bring modern Scottish painting to an international audience. His paintings remain among the strongest performers in the Scottish art market.

JOLOMO | Valuations, Buy, Sell at Auction

Artists

John Lowrie Morrison (JOLOMO)

Scottish 1948 -

Known simply as JOLOMO, John Lowrie Morrison has become one of Scotland's most popular contemporary landscape painters. His vibrant depictions of the Highlands and west coast are immediately recognisable for their bold colour and expressive brushwork, celebrating the changing light and atmosphere of the Scottish landscape.

Artists

Peter Howson

Scottish 1958 -

Peter Howson is one of Scotland's most distinctive contemporary painters. His monumental figurative works explore themes of conflict, compassion and modern urban life through an uncompromising visual language. Combining technical skill with powerful storytelling, his paintings continue to command strong interest among collectors of contemporary Scottish art.

Department

Scottish Art

Our Team

Charlotte Cockburn

Sale Coordinator, Fine Art