James Lewis Caw

“ His grandfather, discovering his talent, encouraged him to become a painter. For some years he painted highland landscape, and in 1811–12 he published six large engravings of scenes in the north, while many of his early topographical drawings appeared in the ‘Scots Magazine;’ but an extended tour in Italy and Greece, from which he returned in 1818, gave his work its particular character, and earned him the name, ‘Grecian Williams,’ by which he is familiarly known. ”

“ In the National Gallery of Scotland he is represented by between twenty and thirty typical examples, and in the historical collection at South Kensington by five drawings, three of which are dated before 1807, and represent his earlier style. Williams was an original member of the Associated Artists in Watercolour (1808) , and an associate of the Royal Institution, Edinburgh; but towards the end of his life he took a great interest in the proposed amalgamation of the Scottish Academy and the artist associates of the institution, an arrangement which was completed a month after his death. ”

“ Shortly after his return from the East he married Miss Miller of Garnock, a wealthy lady of good family, and moved in the best Edinburgh society, where he was exceedingly popular. Professor Wilson in the ‘Noctes Ambrosianæ’ makes the ‘Shepherd’ say of Williams: ‘As for the man himsel’, I like to look on him, for he's gotten a gran' bald phrenological head, the face o' him 's at ance good-natured and intelligent ”