Thomas Carlyle, historian and essayist; David Livingstone, missionary and explorer; Sir James Young Simpson, discoverer of chloroform; Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, geologist; Sir David Brewster, natural philosopher; Sir Charles Lyell, geologist; Sir Colin Campbell, Lord Clyde, Field-Marshal;
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Queen Street, Edinburgh opened in 1889 and underwent a major refurbishment in 2009 to 2011. The refurbishment included improving a frieze which goes round the Main Hall of the Gallery below the first-floor balustrade. It was created by the artist William Hole in 1898 and depicts 155 men and women deemed in the late 19th century as the greatest in Scottish history.
Although photography is not allowed in the rest of the National Portrait Gallery, it is permitted in the main hall. The pictures in this page (starting above) are of the chronological sequence (running backwards in time) of the figures in the paintings.
Note that the pictures here overlap to a certain extent in order to ensure that all the historical characters are included. You may find it useful to see the various historical figures with their contemporaries.
Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, geologist; Sir David Brewster, natural philosopher; Sir Charles Lyell, geologist; Sir Colin Campbell, Lord Clyde, Field-Marshal; James Andrew Ramsay, 10th Earl and 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, Govenor General of India; Thomas Babington, Lord Macaulay, historian and statesman; Professor Sir William Hamilton, metaphysician; Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, statesman; Rev Thomas Chalmers, social reformer; Sir David Wilkie, painter; Rev John Thomson of Duddingston, landscape painter; Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Admiral; Robert Stevenson, lighthouse engineer; Professor Dugald Stewart, philosopher; Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, statesman; Thomas Campbell, poet and critic.
Mungo Park, explorer; Sir Ralph Abercromby, Lieutenant-General; Thomas Graham, Lord Lynedoch, Lieutenant-General; Sir John Moore, Lieutenant-General; Sir Henry Raeburn Portrait painter; Lord Francis Jeffrey, judge and literary critic; Sir Walter Scott, novelist and poet; John Hunter, surgeon and anatomist; Robert Burns, poet; James Hutton, geologist; Thomas Telford, civil engineer, James Watt, inventor of steam engine; Robert Adam, architect; James Bruce, explorer and travel writer; James Boswell, biographer of Samuel Johnson; Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown, Admiral;
James Boswell, biographer of Samuel Johnson; Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown, Admiral; Rev William Robertson, Principal of the University of Edinburgh; William Cullen, chemist and physician; Adam Smith, political economist; David Hume, historian and philosopher; Duncan Forbes of Culloden, Lord President of the Court of Session; Lord George Murray, Jacobite General; Ewan MacPherson of Cluny, Jacobite; Flora MacDonald, rescuer of Bonnie Prince Charlie; Prince Charles Edward Stewart, "Young Pretender"; Cameron of Lochiel, Chief of Clan Cameron; Allan Ramsay, poet; James Thomson poet; John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar Leader of the Jacobite Rising of 1715;
Allan Ramsay, poet; James Thomson, poet; John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, Leader of the Jacobite Rising of 1715; Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, Scottish patriot; John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyl and Greenwich, statesman and soldier; James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair, statesman, lawyer and author; John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, "Bonnie Dundee", soldier; James VII King of Scotland, England and Ireland; John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale, adviser to King Charles II; Charles II King of Scotland, England and Ireland; Robert Leighton, Bishop of Dundee; James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, Royalist; Archibald Campbell, 8th Earl and 1st Marquess of Argyll, Covenanter; Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven, soldier; George Jamesone, portrait pinter; Charles I, King of Scotland, England and Ireland; Sir William Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian, Covenanter
James VI, King of Scotland, England and Ireland; William Drummond of Hawthornden, poet; George Buchanan, historian, poet and reformer; John Napier of Merchiston, inventor of logarithms; James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland; James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, Regent of Scotland; John Knox, historian and religious reformer; William Maitland of Lethington, diplomat and secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots; David Rizzio, secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots; James Hepbum, 4th Earl of Bothwell, Third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots; Mary, Queen of Scots; Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley Consort of Mary Queen of Scots; Mary of Guise, Queen of James V; Cardinal David Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews; James V King of Scots;
James V King of Scots; Gavin Douglas, poet and Bishop of Dunkeld; James IV King of Scots; Margaret Tudor, Queen of King James IV; William Dunbar, poet; Blind Harry, author of life of Wallace; Archibald ""Bell-the-Cat" Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus, soldier and politican; Robert Cochrane, Earl of Mar, architect and court favourite of James III, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, brother of James III, James III King of Scots, Margaret of Denmark Queen of James III; James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews, statesman; Robert Boyd, Lord Boyd, statesman; Marie of Gueldres, Queen of James II; Sir William Crichton, Lord Crichton, Chancellor of Scotland; James II King of Scots; Sir Alexander Livingston Guardian of James II;
James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews, statesman; Robert Boyd, Lord Boyd, statesman; Marie of Gueldres Queen of James II; Sir William Crichton, Lord Crichton, Chancellor of Scotland; James II King of Scots; Sir Alexander Livingston, Guardian of James II; King James I King of Scots; Joan Beaufort, Queen of James I; Donald Macdonald Lord of the Isles; David Stewart Duke of Rothesay, eldest son of Robert III; Robert III Governor of Scotland; Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, Governor of Scotland; John Barbour, poet and author of "The Bruce"; Archibald, 3rd Earl of Douglas, Lord of Galloway and Guardian of Scotland; Robert II King of Scots 'The Steward'.
Edward Balliol, claimant to the Scottish throne; Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, Scottish patriot; Sir William Douglas of Liddesdale, supporter of Robert the Bruce; David II Son of Robert the Bruce; Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, supporter of Robert the Bruce; Sir James Douglas, supporter of Robert the Bruce; King Robert I, Robert the Bruce, Isabella, Countess of Buchan, crowned Robert the Bruce; Sir William Wallace Scottish patriot; John Balliol King of Scots; Edward I of England King of England; Robert Bruce of Annandale, competitor for the Scottish throne; Margaret Queen of Scots, the 'Maid of Norway'; Thomas the Rhymer Minstrel and seer;
Margaret Queen of Scots, the 'Maid of Norway'; Thomas the Rhymer, minstrel and seer; Alexander III King of Scots; King Alexander II Son of William the Lion; King William I "The Lion"; King Malcolm IV, "The Maiden"; David I, Prince of Cumbrians and King of Scots; Alexander I, King of Scots; Margaret Queen of Malcolm III; Malcolm III 'Malcolm Canmore'; Macbeth King of Scots; Gruoch, Queen of Macbeth; Duncan I King of Scots; Three Vikings; Kenneth MacAlpine, Kenneth I First King of Scots;
Gruoch, Queen of Macbeth; Duncan I King of Scots; Three Vikings; Kenneth MacAlpine, Kenneth I First King of Scots; St Cuthbert, Prior of Melrose; St Adamnan, biographer of St Columba; St Columba, founder of Iona Monastery; St Aidan, missionary and bishop to Northumberland; Brude, 1st King of the Picts; St Kentigern (or Mungo), Patron Saint of Glasgow; Rederech, King of Strathclyde; A Druid; St Ninian, first Christian missionary to Scotland; Theodosius, Roman General.
Septimus Severus, Roman Emperor; Antoninus Pius, Roman Emperor; Lollius Urbicus, builder of Hadrian's Wall; Hadrian, Roman Emperor; Julius Agricola, Roman governor of Scotland; Tacitus, Roman Senator and historian; Calgacus Leader of Caledonian army; Three Bronze Age men; Four Stone Age figures;
