Sir Daniel Macnee (1806-1882) was a portrait painter and President of the Royal Scottish Academy.
Macnee was born in Fintry and at the age of twelve was apprenticed to the artist John Knox. In the 1820s he was employed in Edinburgh with his friend, Horatio McCulloch, by William Lizars. He trained under William Allan in Edinburgh and became a professional portrait painter, worked for short spells in Lanarkshire and London, and then returned to Glasgow in the early 1830s.
In 1873 The Bailie referred to Macnee as "the prince of Scotland's portrait painters". He was elected President of the RSA in 1875, the year he was knighted and moved to Edinburgh. His son, “Shrimp” Macnee, became a famous racehorse trainer and his grandson, Patrick, is the actor best known for playing John Steed in the 1960s television series The Avengers.
Reference: Mitchell Library, 920.04BAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
artists, portrait painters, Royal Scottish Academy, The Avengers