Sir Francis Grant PRA (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 Edinburgh, Scotland, on January 18, 1803, into a landed family—the fourth son of Francis Grant, Laird of Kilgraston near Bridge of Earn—his early life foreshadowed a path diverging from conventional expectations. While initially inclined towards law, the irresistible allure of artistic expression s…