Dr Francis Hay Thomson

Born 2 February 1814
Died 21 April 1870

Active: 1861 - 1867

Country of birth and death: Scotland

Sculptor, painter, medical doctor, chemist

Born at Giffard Bank, East Lothian. Died in London. He was a doctor and practiced as an MD in Edinburgh and Glasgow. He was also a chemist and in 1857 took out a patent on improving the manufacture of iron. According to his obituary in the Proceedings of the Royal Philosophical Society he had significant talent as a painter and sculptor. He also exercised his taste forming '... a large and valuable collection of gems cameos and other objects of vertu illustrating the history and progress of art as well as a few sculptures. This collection adorned his home and was well known beyond the limits of his own country.'

'As a sculptor... he had great merit some busts executed by him shew a power not only of expressing likeness but of imparting those idealizing poetic adjuncts which give so great a charm to works of this class. In regard to all works of art he was an accomplished critic.' [Proceedings of the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow, Volume 7, 69th Session, 2 November 1870, p. 363]

Citing this record

'Dr Francis Hay Thomson', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib1_1267803943, accessed 04 Jun 2023]