DAVID WATSON STEVENSON
1842–1904
David Watson Stevenson was born in Ratho on 25th March 1842.
Slaters Directory for 1850 shows M’Gahan and Stevenson, Stonemasons, Ratho.
1851 Census
Father William (34) born in Cullen, Banff,
Mother Margaret (30) born in Ratho,
David (9) scholar,
Margaret (6) scholar,
William (2).
Ann (1 month).
This talented sculptor must have shown promise at an early age, as his first piece was exhibited in 1859, when he was 17 years of age (A child – bust) . At this time he was residing at 7 Comely Bank Place, Edinburgh. He began his artistic life under William Brodie R.S.A. when he was 15 and remained with him for eight years.
Later he enrolled as a student with the Board of Trustees’ School of Design and while there gained the South Kensington National Prize for a statuette reproduction of the Venus of Milo. At that time he was also admitted to the Life School of the Royal Scottish Academy, from 1865-72.
In 1865 he entered the schools ‘Stewart’ competition and was joint winner that year.
He commenced as a sculptor in his own right in 1868, and is shown in the village valuation roll as owning five houses in the village. At this time he was residing at 4 Coates Place, Edinburgh.
In 1876 he went to Rome where he studied, modelling a statue of Venus, which he afterwards reproduced in marble.
Hygeia Statue ©
The following letter letter dated 18th September 1885, was received by the Custodiers of the National Wallace Monument: -
‘My Dear Sir,
I shall consider it quite a privilege to be allowed to add a bust to the noble Wallace monument. As I am the first, I presume I can make the selection. In which case I prefer the author of “Scots wha hae wi Wallace bled.”
I think it is best to leave to the Custodiers the selection of a sculptor. Your draft on me will duly be honoured.
(Signed) ANDREW CARNEGIE
The reply from Wm. Christie Esq. reads; ‘The work was entrusted to Mr D. W. Stevenson R.S.A., Edinburgh, who produced an excellent likeness of the national poet from the Naismyth painting. The bust was unveiled on the 4th September 1886, with due ceremony.’ The reply, which is incomplete, describes the event.
Stevenson’s work must have excelled as he went on to complete all but two of the busts in the Hall of Heroes and the bust in the entrance hall along with the bronze statue of Wallace (outside the tower).
He became an associate of the Academy in 1877, gaining full accreditation in 1886.
In 1886 he deposited a diploma piece with the Royal Scottish Academy A Scotch Peasant Girl (in marble).
He taught at the Academy from 1888-1895.
Many of his pieces were exhibited, a total of 172 works from 1859-1904 and he received commissions from many and varied sources. Today we can easily see his statue to Robert Burns (1898) in Bernard Street, facing west in Constitution Street. In the foyer of the King's Theatre two busts, one to Henry Irving (1836-1905) and another to Ellen Terry (1847-1928) and a statue to Hygeia in the Rotunda of St. Bernard’s well, in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Not so easily seen are the panels on the Scottish National Prince Consort Memorial in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. This work was carried out whilst working as an assistant to John Steel, who had the commision for the monument.
He was a member of the R.S.A., Lodge Dramatic & Arts, Edinburgh and a visitor to Ratho, where in 1890 he presented busts of Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott after receiving Honorary Membership of the Lodge Kirknewton & Ratho, No.85, in 1889.
Robert Burns ©
His public works include The Platt Memorial, Oldham; The Bolckow Monument, Middlesbrough; The Wallace Statue, National Memorial, Abbey Craig; ‘Two groups on the National Monument to Prince Consort, Edinburgh; The Tannahill Statue, Paisley; Highland Mary, Dunoon; Statues for the Scott Monument and the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.
He died in Edinburgh 18th March 1904.
His younger brother William Grant Stevenson was also an eminent sculptor and painter
All of the works exhibited by David Watson Stevenson, at The Royal Scottish Academy, are listed in: -
‘The Royal Scottish Academy’
Exhibitors 1826-1990.
His various addresses in Edinburgh were: -
7 Comely Green Place,
11 Brand Place,
Carrara Villa, 39 West Dick Place,
Thomas Street,
Torphichen Street,
4 Coates Place,
2 Castle Terrace,
The Dean Studio, Lynedoch Place,
The following list of David Watson Stevenson’s public works, is reproduced with kind permission of the author: -
‘Dictionary of Scottish Artists’
by
W. T. Johnston.
| Aberdeen | Daniel Mearns. Marble bust. 1894. | Aberdeen Art Gallery. |
| Aberdeen | Sir John Fowler. Plaster bust. n.d. | Aberdeen Art Gallery. |
| Aberdeen | William Symington. Plaster bust. | Aberdeen Art Gallery. |
| Aberdeen | William Murdoch. Plaster bust. 1862. | Aberdeen Art Gallery. |
| Carbisdale | Sea Nymph. 1872. | Carbisdale Castle, Ross-shire. |
| Carlisle | Robert Burns. Bust. n.d. | Tullie House, Art Gallery. |
| Dunoon | Mary Campbell. [‘Highland Mary.’] Bronze Statue. 1896. | Castle Hill. |
| Edinburgh | John Anderson (1833-1900) Bronze medallion. n.d. [1900?] | Dean Cemetery. |
| Edinburgh | Sir William Arrol. Plaster bust. n.d. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | .Lectern Bronze angel. 1890. Inscribed IN MEMORIAM ELEANOR FRANCES BALLANTINE OBIIT 1890 | St Cuthbert’s Church. |
| Edinburgh | George Buchanan. Bronze portrait relief. 1878. After portrait by Robert Boissard approved by Drummond and Laing. | Greyfriars Cemetery |
| Edinburgh | Mary Campbell. [‘Highland Mary.’] Plaster. 1896. | City Art Centre. |
| Edinburgh | Mary Campbell. [‘Highland Mary.’] Plaster. n.d. [1896?] This copy was accidentally destroyed during the Second World War. | Donaldson’s Hospital. |
| Edinburgh | Sir John Fowler. Plaster bust. 1889. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | John Goodsir. Marble bust.1867. | Edinburgh University. Presented 1895. |
| Edinburgh | James Gordon, librarian. Plaster bust. n.d. | Royal Scottish Academy. |
| Edinburgh | John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow. Plaster bust. n.d. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | Hygeia Statue. 1887. St Bernard’s well. Replacement of original of 1791 by Mrs. E. Caode. | |
| Edinburgh | David Laing. Plaster bust. 1880. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | Hamish MacCunn. Plaster bust. n.d. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | Duncan Mclaren. Marble. 1891. | City Arts Centre. |
| Edinburgh | John Macmillan (1843-1901). Marble bust. n.d. | Edinburgh Merchant Company. |
| Edinburgh | John Napier, of Merchiston. Statuette n.d. | Edinburgh University, Faculty of Arts. |
| Edinburgh | Sir John Steel. Plaster bust. n.d. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). Marble bust. n.d. | Scottish National Portrait Gallery. |
| Edinburgh | Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). Bronze. 1898. | City Arts Centre 2 copies. |
| Edinburgh | Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). Plaster. 1894. | City Arts Centre 2 copies. |
| Edinburgh | Robert Tannahill. Plaster statue. n.d. | Donaldson's Hospital. |
| Edinburgh | Albert Memorial. 17.8.1876. | Charlotte Square. |
| Labour with George MacCallum, who sketched the figure. | ||
| Learning and Science. Not with George MacCallum. | ||
| Edinburgh | Scotch peasant girl. n.d. [1875?] | National Gallery of Scotland. |
| Edinburgh | Charles I. 1881. Damaged 1976/77 but reconstructed. | |
| Fair Maid of Perth. 1881. | ||
| Halbert Glendinning. Before 1881. | ||
| James VI. Before 1881. | ||
| Queen Mary. Before 1881. | ||
| Montrose. 1881. | Scott Monument: | |
| Edinburgh | Scottish National Portrait Gallery Building: | |
| John Campbell; 2nd Duke of Argyll. 1903. Façade, western section. | ||
| Adam Duncan; 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown. 1902. North-west tower. | ||
| James Hutton. After 1899. North-east tower. | ||
| James Ist. 1898. Façade, Eastern section. | ||
| James VI and I. 1893. Façade, Eastern section. | ||
| John Napier, of Merchiston. 1898. North-east tower. | ||
| Edinburgh | Thomas Bonnar (1810-1873). | Dean Cemetery. |
| Also said to be by W. G. Stevenson, | ||
| but signed indistinctly D W STEVENSON RSA. | ||
| Edinburgh | Thomas Bonnar (1840-1899). | Dean Cemetery. |
| Not signed but similar to that for | ||
| Thomas Bonnar (1810-1873) on reverse of this monument. | ||
| Edinburgh | William Symington. Marble Bust. n.d. | Royal Museum of Scotland. |
| With two bas-reliefs:Charlotte Dundas; | Presented 1890. | |
| Three wheeled steam-driven carriage. | ||
| Glasgow | R. L. Stevenson. Plaster statue, bronzed. 1901. | Glasgow Art Gallery. |
| Glasgow | Scotch peasant girl. Plaster bust. 1875. | Glasgow Art Gallery. |
| Leith | Robert Burns. Bronze statue. 15.10.1898. | |
| Cast by J. W. SINGER foundry, | ||
| Frome. Commercial Street. | ||
| Middlesborough | Bolckow Monument. | |
| Oldham | Captain James Platt. Bronze memorial. | |
| Ormiston | Dr. Robert Moffat Memorial.An obelisk, | Main Street, Ormiston. |
| with bronze portrait medallion. 1884. | [Now: Ormiston Parish Church?] | |
| Paisley | Robert Tannahill. Bronze statue. 20.10.1883. | Abbey grounds. |
| Paisley | Robert Tannahill, Plaster statuette. n.d. | Paisley Art Gallery. |
| Stirling | Sir William Wallace. Bronze statue. 25.6.1887. | Wallace Monument, Abbey Craig. |
| Stirling | 15 busts in the Wallace Monument: | |
| King Robert the Bruce. Marble bust. June 1887. | ||
| George Buchanan. Marble bust. September 1887. | ||
| Robert Burns. Marble bust. 1886. | ||
| William Burns. Marble bust. 1900. | ||
| Thomas Chalmers. Marble bust. 1889. | ||
| William Ewart Gladstone. Marble bust. 1900. | ||
| John Knox. Marble bust. 1886. | ||
| Hugh Miller. Marble bust. 11.9.1888. | ||
| William Murdoch. Marble bust. 1892. | ||
| Allan Ramsay. Marble bust. 1900. | ||
| Charles Rogers. Marble bust. 9.8.1892. | ||
| Sir Walter Scott. Marble bust. 1887. | ||
| Adam Smith. Marble bust. 1889. | ||
| Robert Tannahill. Marble bust. 1889. | ||
| James Watt. Marble bust. 11.9.1888. | ||
| St Andrews | John Napier; of Merchiston. Plaster statuette. 1913. | St Andrews University Library. |
| Not located | Mrs. J. Bryden. Bust. n.d. | |
| Echo. n.d. | ||
| Galatea. n.d. | ||
| Godiva. n.d. | ||
| T. Kershaw. Bust. n.d. | ||
| Dr. G. Macdonald. Bust n.d. | ||
| Nymph at the stream. n.d. | ||
| The Pompeian mother. n.d. | ||
| Dr. ----- Potts. Bust. n.d. | ||
| Mrs Sarah Siddons. Bust. n.d. | ||