Sir Francis Grant (1803–1878): Celebrated Scottish Portrait & Sporting Painter and Royal Academy President Sir Francis Grant, a name synonymous with refined portraiture and dedicated service to the British art establishment, emerged as one of the most sought-after artists of his era. Born in 1803 into a landed family in Perthshire, Scotland, young Francis initially seemed destined for a career in law. However, the pull of artistic expression proved too strong to resist. Though largely self-taught, he briefly studied under Alexander Nasmyth in Edinburgh, laying an early foundation before forg…