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1779, engraved in aquatint by Paul Sandby, and published in 1781 with descriptions by Allan. These are said to contain several portraits of persons well known to the English who visited Rome from 1770 to 1780. They border on caricature, and, with some other sketches of Italian manners, earned for the artist the name of the Scottish Hogarth. In 1777 Allan was in London, where he remained till 1780, painting portraits for a livelihood. He then settled in Edinburgh, and on 14 June 1786 was installed director and master of the Trustees' Academy at Edinburgh, succeeding Runciman. Henceforth, with occasional attempts at historical painting——as in some scenes from the life of Mary Queen of Scots, exhibited at the last exhibition of the Society of Artists (1791)—Allan was mainly occupied on those humorous designs of Scottish character in which he shows himself a precursor of Wilkie rather than a follower of Hogarth. His ‘Scotch Wedding,’ the ‘Highland Dame,’ and the ‘Repentance Stool’ were his most successful pictures, and his popularity was much increased by his designs to Allan Ramsay's ‘Gentle Shepherd,’ which were published in 1788 by the Foulises, with a dedication to Gavin Hamilton. He also made several drawings in illustration of those songs by Robert Burns which were written for George Thomson's ‘Collection of Scottish Airs.’ The poet admired these illustrations. Thomson only published one of them, and this after Allan's death, when a print from it was presented to subscribers of Thomson's book. It is possible that the others (etched by Allan) found their way into the hands of Alexander Campbell, who published in 1798 his ‘Introduction to the History of Poetry in Scotland, to which are subjoined Songs of the Lowlands...with designs by David Allan.’ They are of very little merit. Allan also etched in a free style the illustrations for Tassie's ‘Catalogue of Engraved Gems.’ The frontispiece for this work, dated 1788, was also designed and etched by Allan, and he published some etched scenes of cottage life, combined with mezzotint. Allan died on 6 Aug. 1796, leaving one daughter and one son, David. In person he was not prepossessing, but his face lighted up in society, and his conversation was gay and humorous. His manners were gentle, and his honour scrupulous. His portrait by himself hangs in the National Portrait Gallery of Scotland, and there is a portrait by him of Sir William Hamilton, K.B., in the National Portrait Gallery.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Cunningham's Lives of Eminent British Painters, edited by Mrs. Charles Heaton; Edwards's Anecdotes of Painters; Stark's Biographia Scotica; the Works of Robert Burns (Bohn, 1842); Catalogue of National Portrait Gallery; George Thomson's Select Collection of Scottish Airs; Alexander Campbell's Introduction to the History of Poetry in Scotland; Allan Ramsay's Gentle Shepherd, with plates by D. A., 1788;.Prints in the British Museum; Catalogues of the Free Society of Artists, the Society of Artists, and the Royal Academy.]
ALLAN,GEORGE (1736–1800), a celebrated antiquary and topographer, son of James Allan, of Blackwell Grange, near Darlington, co. Durham, was born 7 June 1736. He had an extensive practice as an attorney at Darlington, but chiefly devoted his energies to antiquarian pursuits, with especial reference to the history of Durham. He acquired, at great expense, the various collections known as Gylls's, Hunter's,. Mann's, Hodgson's, and Swainston's MSS. He also purchased the rich and splendid museum of natural history belonging to Marmaduke Tunstall, of Wycliffe, the birds alone of which had cost 5000l. The Rev. Thomas Rundall, vicar of Ellingham, Northumberland―previously usher, then headmaster, of Durham Grammar School―bequeathed to him in 1779 twenty manuscript volumes of collections relating to the counties of Durham and Northumberland. To these manuscript treasures he added a vast mass of charters, transcripts of visitations, legal and genealogical records, and printed works on history and topography; and the noble library thus accumulated Allan generously laid open to the use of the antiquaries of his time. Hutchinson's well-known ‘History of Durham’ (3 vols. 1785–1794) was undertaken at his instigation, and the chief material was furnished by Allan from five large manuscript volumes previously arranged and digested, besides which he contributed engravings of coins, seals, and other illustrations.
In 1764 he had an offer of the place of Richmond Herald, but refused the appointment as incompatible with his established professional connection and future prospects. In 1766 he married Anne, only daughter and heiress of James Colling Nicholson, Esq., of Scruton, Yorkshire, by whom he had six children―George Allan, who succeeded him at the Grange, and was M.P. for the city of Durham 1812; James Allan, captain 29th foot; and four daughters. In 1744 he was elected fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, to whose library he presented twenty (or twenty-six) manuscript volumes of collec-
