Henry Wright Kerr, RSA RSW (1857-1936)
Henry Kerr was born in Edinburgh. He was a painter in oil and watercolour of portraits and figurative subjects. One of the most prolific Scottish artists, a fine recoder of Scottish character and the Scottish scene and a painter of considerable imagionation and sympathy. Best known for his portraits of elderly, characterful gentlemen and for his book illustrations.
Early education was in Dundee where he was apprenticed to a manufacturer. Then he took up an appointment in Leith so that he could attend art classes at the Board of Manufacturers and Life School of the RSA. In 1882 he had his first watercolour landscape exhibited at the RSA. In addition to working in Scotland he embarked on a sketching trip to Holland where he came under the influence of the Hague School. Also visited Ireland where, by his portrayal of local character, he was regarded as the natural successor to Erskine Nicol. He visisted Connemara in 1888.