Gourlay Steell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1819.

In 1867 the artist who specialised in painting horses, dogs and cattle was commissioned to paint a portrait of Bobby lying in Greyfriars graveyard. The painting was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition the following year. Although the location of the painting is unknown, a pencil sketch can be seen in the Greyfriars Bobby display case at the Museum of Edinburgh.

When the artist who was appointed Animal Painter to Her Majesty for Scotland died in 1894 he was buried at Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh.