Kilmarnock Cross

Between 1834 and 1840 David Octavius Hill toured around the south-west of Scotland painting a series of landscapes and townscapes in oil and watercolour which were then engraved and published in a book entitiled "The Land of Burns". Many of the original paintings have been lost but it is believed that this may be one of them. Also in the collection at the Dick Institute is the engraving made of Hill's painting Kilmarnock from near Riccarton, also published in "The Land of Burns".   Hill himself was born in Perth and studied at the Trustees' Academy in Edinburgh. He was Secretary of the RSA which he helped to found. He also helped to found the National Gallery of Scotland in 1850.   Hill is best known for his pioneering work with photography in collaboration with Robert Adamson. He embarked upon this work whilst working on his most famous painting The Signing of the Deed of Demission (1843 - 1865). The painting contained so many figures it was not feasible to have all those present sit for their portraits. Hill and Adamson worked together to gather photographic portraits from which Hill could work on his painting.