Sunday 31st January...

Sunday 31st January marks the anniversary of the death of Gourlay Steell who painted Greyfriars Bobby.

The Edinburgh-born artist’s studio was situated at 123 George Street. ‘The Scotsman’ article published on April 13th 1867 which brought Bobby to the public’s attention mentioned that ‘while sitting for his portrait in Mr Steell’s studio, Bobby, on hearing the report of the time-gun - his usual call to dinner got quite excited, and refused to be pacified until supplied with his midday meal’.

Commissioned by Patrick Dudgeon the painting was exhibited in the North Room at the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual exhibition the following year.

Appointed Animal Painter to her Majesty for Scotland following the death of Sir Edwin Landseer, the artist produced animal portraits for Queen Victoria until he died in 1894.

Gourlay Steell is buried in Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh.

If the painting of Bobby still exists it may be in the hands of a private collector.

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