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Scenes from an Artist's Life
Chapter 20
" O Youth, so joyous, wild, and free, Is nought but memory left of thee ? Yes, still there is a joy of age, The joy to think on joy that's gone; For oft we turn to memory's page To ponder on the past
alone."
N. M., Kilbirnie.
SOME EARLY PATRONS-A CALL IN FRIENDSHIP-HOPE IN
THE BOYS- HOW I FOUND A NEW SPHERE-THE HUMANITY OF IRVINE.
THE faught poor folk have to encounter with a smattering of wee duddy weans is somewhat like a
continual drouth and an everlasting hunger. There is little rest either to mind or body. A well-doing
man will ever see something awanting, and "a woman's wark will ne'er be done."
When I look back to the early patronage I received in coming before the public of Kilmarnock with
raffles of paintings, that seems in memory about the sunniest season of my artistic career. Burns
wisely said, " It soothes poor misery hearkening to her tale." I never made an appeal to a
Kilmarnock public without being listened to.
George Paxton was the first gentleman at every sale I penned a note to, and Thomas Morton the
second. Their answer was direct. " Just as usual, a share for every one of the family." Hugh Craig
and Dr Borland also stand out in relief from the great breadth of the public as art-patrons. As a body
of men met in one place, the Townhead Printwork stood first. I used to fix my raffles for the Monday
night after their pay when I could get other things to suit. There was a pride in being noticed by the
rich and poor; and I always endeavoured to show my patrons that I was grateful for the favours
bestowed on me by putting the money to the best possible use.
One time I was set upon having a great display of subjects. I had sixteen ready, and only wanted
other two to make a bold appearance. two that were to come were to be the first and second
prizes. I had a visit one day of our Academician who made the heartless speech about the gentry
taking us by the hand. He was wonderfully pleased seemingly with all I had done, and also with
what I intended to do. I keepit no secret of either. All was open. He left me with best wishes for my
success, and showed a more generous spirit than I had ever observed him do before. He was not
many minutes gone when Willie Fleming came in and asked if such a gentleman had been seeing
me ? I said, " Yes." " What was he wanting ?" inquired Willie. " He just made a call in friendship," I
answered. " He did no such thing," said Willie. " I met him on the brae just now, and he told me
where he had been. I remarked, ' I thought you and he were not on very friendly terms.' ' Oh,' said
he, ' neither we are. I am going to advertise for a subscription sale of paintings soon, and I wished
to see what he was after, and I find that I will be out before him ! "' Willie thought this a mean way of
professing friendship. He looked at what I had. " Out with your bills to-morrow," said Willie. " Plan
what you will have as first and second, and paint them between and the time you fix. Give plenty of
time; but don't allow him to take the field before you."
I went to bed that night, but not to sleep. I lay planning what pictures I would have. At three o'clock
in the morning the mystery was solved. The man or woman who gets the portrait of Rubens gets his
or her portrait painted also; and the winner of Wilkie's Bagpiper gets the same. Here were two first
prizes. I rose from bed at that early hour and wrote the bill, looked at it, and was delighted with the
idea; thanked Willie Fleming then, do it yet in spirit, and had the public apprised of my scheme
next day.
This was a great success. I received from the rich and poor the sum of three hundred and fifteen
shillings: fifteen guineas. This was a great sum, yet, like all other sums,what was eaten beforehand
and what was needed made it sma'. The money itself did not look such a fortune as the array of
respectable names on the list. I was in the habit then, as I am yet, of looking on every man as
respectable " wha daes me a guid turn when I'm sair beset."
I was beginning to think that coming owre often out with lotteries would tire the public; but as there
was nae ither way of disposing so easily of accumulated stock, and as they were as easy of access as
ever, I saw no other sphere of action. But in Kilmarnock, and even there, new light began to dawn. I
found that the boys were becoming my patrons. It was no uncommon thing for boys to call and
inquire when I was going to have another raffle, as they had a shilling keeping for it ! I began to think
that if I could only hold on for a few years, and growing up before the boys, I might be recognised by
them as a legitimate artist. Views of places around the town were always held by me worthy as art-
subjects, and I came to see that where I could introduce a peep of somebody's property a shilling
might come my way at a sale. The old Dean and its environs still possess beauty of an inexhaustible
variety.
In the spring of 1834 I was getting up some pictures in a hurry, with the intention no doubt of telling
the public of their beauty and how many shillings I would like to get for them. D. F. Duncan,
engraver, now of Glasgow, then of Kilmarnock, came in to see me one morning, and he says, "
Hunter, you're dished this time." " In what shape ?" I inquired. " Macready has out bills this morning
for a raffle, but he is more refined than you, as he calls his a subscription sale ! " I did not wish
Duncan to think that I was put the least about, and answered quite easy, " That does not affect me." "
I thought that you were getting up those for a raffle." " So I am, but I am going to Irvine with them." "
Oh then," said he, " in that case it does not affect you."
This was on Wednesday. On Saturday morning Duncan called again, and inquired, " Have you got all
your paintings finished for Irvine?" I said "Yes." "How many have you ?" "Nine." "Then come away,
I'm going to Irvine to-day; I'll help you to carry them." Although I had said to Duncan that mine were
for Irvine, it was only to keep Him from thinking that I was put about by his first information. I sat for
a few seconds, but could not see through the business properly. I said that I was not going till next
week. " It will just be the same next week. You will be for putting it off again. Come to-day." I asked
if he knew any person about Irvine. He said that he knew John Gilfillan the painter. " But there are a
great many decent folk about Irvine. Come away, and we'll try and see some of them."
A new view of the world was opened to me. I had thought of going to Irvine at some period, but when
had never dawned on my mind. I had calculated that Kilmarnock, Irvine, and Ayr would in all
likelihood be the circuit in which I would come to act as a portrait painter. Ayr I looked on as the
capital. I meant to practice on the other two till I would be prepared to go to Ayr and get the large
price from the gentry there. Such were my genuine thoughts then.
Duncan and I started for Irvine. There were nane o' us ower rife o' bawbees. As a travelling
companion in such circumstances, I could not have made a better choice though I had sought the
county. He was buoyant in spirit, hopeful, and persevering. Arriving at Irvine, we went direct to
Samuel Dunlop's of the King's Arms Inn, and talked with him as to a raffle in his house. He had never
had anything of the kind in his establishment. I mentioned the Star Inn and Angel Inn in Kilmarnock
where I had been, showed him the bills, and spoke of the patronage there, and the expected
countenance of the best people in Irvine. I showed Samuel the paintings. He did not pretend to be a
judge of art. He said he thought he ken'd a decent man when he saw him, and, taking me for one, said
I could try what I could do in Irvine, and I was welcome to the use of his house.
The start being thus arranged, I mean to note a few simple things which were to me of great moment.
We called on Mr Gilfillan. I was introduced. We were invited to dinner. In Mr Gilfillan's manner and
that of his wife there was a home feeling. As I explained the shape of my home and hope in art, I saw
the tear glisten in Mrs Gilfillan's e'e, and she remarked that " our man used to patronise a' young
artists when he was in Glasgow. He used to let them try his portrait. He might do waur than let you
try his portrait the time before your raffle comes on. You would be on the ground, and would be
meeting with some acquaintances wha might patronise you." He was agreeable; so was I. I was at
home in his house, and I felt so. I had a tweeled canvass past me, the first one I had ever painted on.
I got it from John Ingram in a present to paint my own likeness on, and should I meet with a
gentleman worthy of it, I could use it for his portrait instead of my own. It was no conjecture but a
fact that the cloth was properly applied. I painted the portrait in my best style, and also that of Mrs
Gilfillan, who was truly a jolly woman, beaming with open, earnest expression. I made a fine likeness
of her. It retains a living resemblanee of her to this day, although she has passed away.
There was at that time a breadth of refined humanity about Irvine, whieh I cannot find language to
put into shape. I took some of the paintings to Maxwell Dick's shop. The day fixed for the raffle
arrived. Few subscribers' names were down-some twenty-eight shillings. Several of the subscribers
thought that I should postpone the business for another week. I thought no; I had faith in the few
people who came; they looked like humanity. When the hour came the dice was brought forth, and
"here's for a conclusion." Peter M'Nab, a grocer, was on the ground; he had one shilling invested. He
looked the picture of earnest innocence. I heard him whisper to an acquaintance that, as he had the
shop to shut, he might throw for him. Peter had an innocent look, and I said to him that, as I thought
there was guid luck in his face, I would like that he wad stay five minutes and throw himsel'. The
man did so. He turned up 42 at three throws. He looked very seriously in my face, and asked if that
would have any chance. I answered yes; but had it been 45 or thereby, it would have been better. He
thought that he would try another shilling; but was still lower. He said that he would try a third
chance, and go. I had the paintings valued at a price there seemed no appearance of reaching; and as
I could do as I pleased with all the chances up to that point, after Peter had thrown his three chances,
he was saying good night to some one. I remarked, as he had done well, I would give him an extra
chance. He threw again; and then inquired, If I take other three, will you give me another ? I said yes.
He was going then. I spoke some words of thanks to him as he was going, when I heard him remark
to some one, " He's a decent man, and not greedy; I'll take other three chances. " Thus from Peter I
got nine shillings, and he got a View of Kilmarnock from the Dean Park. I used all the other
subscribers the same way; any one who took three chances got a fourth. I paid all the expenses of the
house, and had left 147 shillings. D. F. Duncan came down to the raffle. He won a portrait of
Rubens, and sold him for a pound. We passed a great night among the large-hearted men who thus
patronised me, and during the night it was agreed that five of them would sit for their portraits; and as
Andrew Ross was a shoemaker, he would sit first. I was to get one guinea for each, and bed and
board. Andrew Ross and I were born on the same day. We had been captains in the shoemakers'
procession in Kilmarnock some thirteen years before.
I was at that time employed for the long pleasant space of fifty-seven weeks, at the rate of a portrait
each week. I had several raffles in Irvine after the first one. A home feeling grew strong. I set the
society of Irvine above that of any place I have ever seen. I was admitted at once into good society,
and there received many acts of personal kindness.