Alfred Sisley is the best-known artist with works in the Aberdeen Art Gallery; next come Joshua Reynolds, John William Waterhouse and Eugène Louis Boudin.
Our catalogue lists 39 works of the Aberdeen Art Gallery by 27 artists; the 10 best known are ranked below, each with the works the museum holds.
The masters of the originals
The 10 masters whose originals hang in the Aberdeen Art Gallery
For each master: where and when they were born, their movement, how many originals the museum keeps in our catalogue, a note from their life, and the originals to see.
-
Impressionism
1. Alfred Sisley 1839–1899
1839–1899 Born in former 4th arrondissement of Paris, France Impressionism 3 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Alfred Sisley was born in Paris on October 30, 1839. The path laid out for him was not originally one of brushes and canvas. Moret-sur-Loing became a central part of Sisley's life, a place where he spent many years finding his footing. The river was a constant presence in his work, offering a quiet subject that allowed him to study the way light moved across the surface of the water.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Neoclassicism
2. Joshua Reynolds 1723–1792
1723–1792 Born in Plympton, United Kingdom Neoclassicism 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Sir Joshua Reynolds was born on 16 July 1723 in Plympton, Devon. The household was one of learning and intellectual pursuit, a setting that shaped the young boy's early years in the quiet town. In 1740, he moved to London to begin an apprenticeship under the portrait painter Thomas Hudson. By 1768, the landscape of British art was ready for a formal structure, and Reynolds was at the center of its creation.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Pre-Raphaelite
3. John William Waterhouse 1849–1917
1849–1917 Born in Rome, Italy Pre-Raphaelite 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
The beginnings of John William Waterhouse were rooted in the classical atmosphere of Rome, where he was born in 1849 to English parents. Following his baptism on 6 April 1849, his early years were shaped by this immersion in a creative household. The family eventually moved to England, settling in the South Kensington area of London, a location that placed him in close proximity to the great collections of the era.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Impressionism
4. Eugène Louis Boudin 1824–1898
1824–1898 Born in Honfleur, France Impressionism 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Born on 12 July 1824 in the port town of Honfleur, Normandy, France, Eugène Louis Boudin was a child of the sea. By the age of ten, the boy was already working aboard a steamboat that traveled the waters between Le Havre and Honfleur. In 1835, the family moved to Le Havre, where his father opened a shop that sold stationery and picture frames.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Realism
5. Henri Fantin-Latour 1836–1904
1836–1904 Born in Grenoble, France Realism 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
By 1850, Henri Fantin-Latour moved to Paris, seeking to expand his skills beyond the lessons of his childhood. During these formative years, he studied under Louis-Alexandre Péron and Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Fantin-Latour moved through the most influential social circles of his time, though he often walked a path separate from the radical shifts occurring in Paris.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Realism
6. Rosa Bonheur 1822–1899
1822–1899 Born in Bordeaux, France Realism 3 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Rosa Bonheur, born Marie-Rosalie Bonheur in 1822 Bordeaux, France, wasn’t simply a painter of animals; she was an interpreter of their very essence. Born into a family steeped in artistic tradition – her father, Oscar-Raymond Bonheur, was a landscape and portrait painter – young Rosalie’s path wasn't predetermined but nurtured. But it was The Horse Fair, completed between 1853 and 1855, that cemented her international fame.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Realism
7. Jules Breton 1827–1906
1827–1906 Born in Courrières, France Realism 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Born in the small village of Courrières in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France, Breton’s early life was marked by modest circumstances but fueled by an unwavering passion for observation and representation.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Romanticism
8. Alexandre Gabriel Decamps 1803–1860
1803–1860 Born in Paris, France Romanticism 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Beyond the canvas, Decamps was a man deeply connected to nature, finding solace and inspiration in the countryside surrounding Paris, where he indulged his passion for animals and field sports—a fondness that would subtly permeate much of his artistic output.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
Barbizon School
9. Henri Harpignies 1819–1916
1819–1916 Born in Valenciennes, France Barbizon School 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Born on June 28, 1819, in Valenciennes, France, Henri-Joseph Harpignies initially faced parental expectations to pursue a business career. Of Belgian origin, his family’s initial plans were set aside as he dedicated himself to becoming an artist. At the age of twenty-seven, he formally began his artistic training in Paris, entering the atelier of Jean Achard.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
-
10. Douglas Strachan 1875–1950
1875–1950 Born in Aberdeen, United Kingdom 2 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Born in Aberdeen, Strachan’s early life was steeped in the traditions of his homeland – a landscape of rugged coastlines, ancient castles, and a deep-rooted connection to folklore and history. Strachan's formal artistic training began at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen, followed by studies at the prestigious Gray’s School of Art and the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh.
Originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
The house in figures
The masters of the Aberdeen Art Gallery, in figures
The masters with the most originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Masters with two originals or more, by century of birth
Masters with two originals or more, by country of birth
Masters with two originals or more, by movement
Women masters
The women whose originals hang in the Aberdeen Art Gallery
1 women masters, 3 originals, in our catalogue of the Aberdeen Art Gallery.
-
Rosa Bonheur
1822–1899 · born in Bordeaux, France · 3 originals at the Aberdeen Art Gallery
- The Charcoal Burners (1853)
- Noonday Rest (1877)
- The Pyrenees (1879)
Asked of us
Questions on the masters of the Aberdeen Art Gallery
Open a question to read the answer.
Who is the most famous artist in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Alfred Sisley (1839–1899): our catalogue holds 3 works by Alfred Sisley at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, among them Village Street Louveciennes, Les Bords du Loing and A Farmyard near Sablons. Joshua Reynolds and John William Waterhouse follow.
What did Alfred Sisley paint that hangs in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Our catalogue lists 3 works by Alfred Sisley at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, among them Village Street Louveciennes (1874), Les Bords du Loing (1897) and A Farmyard near Sablons.
What did Joshua Reynolds paint that hangs in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Our catalogue lists 2 works by Joshua Reynolds at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, among them Mrs Grimston (1756) and Robert Ramsden (1755).
How many John William Waterhouse paintings are in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Our catalogue lists 2 works by John William Waterhouse at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, among them The Danaides (1906) and Penelope and the Suitors.
Which ten artists should I look for in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
By fame: Alfred Sisley (3), Joshua Reynolds (2), John William Waterhouse (2), Eugène Louis Boudin (2), Henri Fantin-Latour (2), Rosa Bonheur (3), Jules Breton (2), Alexandre Gabriel Decamps (2), Henri Harpignies (2) and Douglas Strachan (2).
Who has the most paintings in the collection of the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Our catalogue holds 3 works by Alfred Sisley at the Aberdeen Art Gallery; next come Rosa Bonheur (3), Joshua Reynolds (2) and John William Waterhouse (2).
Does the Aberdeen Art Gallery have any Leonardo da Vinci paintings?
Our catalogue lists no work by Leonardo da Vinci at the Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Does the Aberdeen Art Gallery have any Pablo Picasso paintings?
Our catalogue lists no work by Pablo Picasso at the Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Which women artists are in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Our catalogue lists 1 women artists with works at the Aberdeen Art Gallery: Rosa Bonheur (3).
Are the artists in the Aberdeen Art Gallery mostly French, Italian or Dutch?
Counting the artists with two works or more, the Aberdeen Art Gallery holds painters born mostly in France (7), United Kingdom (2) and Italy (1).
From which period are the artists of the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
Most of the artists with two works or more at the Aberdeen Art Gallery were born in the 19th century (9 artists); the earliest in this ranking is Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), the latest Douglas Strachan (1875–1950).
How many artists have works in the Aberdeen Art Gallery?
27 artists have at least one work of the Aberdeen Art Gallery in our catalogue; 10 have two or more. They were born between 1723 and 1875, in 3 countries.
The house
The Aberdeen Art Gallery, , in a few lines
Origins and History of the Gallery
The origins of the Aberdeen Art Gallery can be traced back to 1873. This collective effort led to the formal founding of the institution in 1884. Following these foundational years, the gallery opened its doors to the public on 7 July 1885. As the main visual arts exhibition space in Aberdeen, Scotland, the gallery has grown from its nineteenth-century beginnings into a significant institution. Its history is marked by the acquisition of diverse collections, including the Alexander Macdonald Bequest in 1900. The institution's continued relevance was recognized in 2020, when it was named one of five winners of the ArtFund Museum of the Year Award.
The Building and its Architecture
The architecture of the Aberdeen Art Gallery follows a neo-classical style, characterized by its formal proportions and structural clarity. Construction of the primary building began in 1883, following a design by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie. In 1905, the site was expanded with the addition of a sculpture court. The complex extends beyond the main galleries to include several distinct structures. This memorial includes both a room inside the gallery and a monument located outside. The site's physical presence is marked by its granite construction, a characteristic of the local landscape.
The famous originals of the Aberdeen Art GalleryThe Aberdeen Art Gallery: the full page, 40 originals
How the masters of the originals are ranked
The masters with two originals or more of the Aberdeen Art Gallery in our catalogue are ranked by fame: the Wikipedia language editions that describe them, the visits to their OriginalUniqueArt.com page and our studio's ranking. Originals are counted in our catalogue — one entry per work, without details, studies or copies — not in the museum's inventory. Every date, birthplace and movement is the catalogue's; the notes are drawn from the master's biography.
Go on