William York McGregor RSA RSW, 1855-1923

Born at Finnart, Dunbartonshire, Macgregor studied in Glasgow under Robert Greenlees and James Docherty and in Lndon at the Slade School of Art under Alphonse Legros. His forcefull, well-disciplined technique and direct approach strongly influenced the other Glasgow Boys. The informal life classes he gave during the winters of 1881-84 were attended by all the leading members of the Glasgow School except Guthrie and Melville. Asthma forced him to leave Glasgow in 1885 for Bridge of Allan and later South Africa, but he returned to Scotland in 1890.