Patrick Syme

Patrick Syme (17 September 1774 – 25 July 1845) was a Scottish flower-painter.^[1][2]

Patrick Syme
Born	(1774-09-17)17 September 1774 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	25 July 1845(1845-07-25) (aged 70) Dollar, Scotland
Nationality	Scottish
Relatives	John Syme, nephew

Life

The grave of Patrick Syme, Dollar

Syme was born in Edinburgh on 17 September 1774, and educated there. In the Scottish public exhibitions, which began in 1808, his flower-pieces were much admired.^[3]

In 1803 Syme took up his brother's practice as a drawing-master, and concentrated on teaching. He was one of the associate artist members of the Royal Institution. He was also prominent in the foundation of the Royal Scottish Academy, occupying the chair at the first meeting in May 1826, and becoming one of the council of four appointed there to manage its affairs.^[3]

Towards the end of his life Syme was art master at Dollar Academy. He died at Dollar, Clackmannanshire, in July 1845.^[3] He is buried in the parish churchyard the grave lying in the upper north-west section.^{[citation needed]}

Works

Apple tree, engraving after Patrick Syme

If best known as a flower-painter, Syme painted portraits, and made natural history drawings of natural history. He published:^[3]

• Practical Directions for Learning Flower Drawing (1810)
• A translation of Abraham Gottlob Werner's Nomenclature of Colours (1814)
• Treatise on British Song Birds (1823)

Family

Syme married Elizabeth Boswell of Balmuto daughter of Claud Irvine Boswell, Lord Balmuto, the judge. She had been his pupil since about 1810, the couple eloped in 1822, and her family's disapproval of the match was permanent. John Thomas Irvine Boswell the botanist was their son.^[4][5]