# William Bonnar
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{{short description|British artist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
[[File:George Meikle Kemp by William Bonnar.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Portrait of [George Meikle Kemp](/source/George_Meikle_Kemp), 1840. Now at the [National Gallery of Scotland](/source/National_Gallery_of_Scotland).]]
thumb|The surgeon Thomas Turner by William Bonnar
'''William Bonnar''' [RSA](/source/Royal_Scottish_Academy) (1800 – 27 January 1853)[{{Cite web |date=20 October 2020 |title=Did William Bonnar (1800–1855) paint Hugh Miller in Edinburgh? - Discussions - Art Detective |url=https://www.artuk.org/artdetective/discussions/discussions/did-william-bonnar-18001855-paint-hugh-miller-in-edinburgh |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=Art Detective UK}}] was a Scottish [portrait painter](/source/Portrait_painting).
==Life==
Bonnar was born in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh) in 1800. His father was [Thomas Bonnar](/source/Thomas_Bonnar) a house-painter and [interior design](/source/interior_design)er of considerable skill. Bonnar showed an early aptitude for drawing, and was apprenticed to one of the leading decorators of the time. When [George IV](/source/George_IV_of_the_United_Kingdom) visited Edinburgh in 1822, Bonnar assisted [David Roberts](/source/David_Roberts_(painter)) in decorating the [Assembly Rooms](/source/Assembly_Rooms_(Edinburgh)) for the grand state ball which was given in honour of the occasion. Shortly afterwards some signboards painted by him attracted the notice of [Captain Basil Hall](/source/Basil_Hall_(naval_officer)), who sought out and encouraged the young artist. In the year 1824 his picture of 'The Tinkers ' established him as a favourite with the public, and shortly after the formation of the [Royal Scottish Academy](/source/Royal_Scottish_Academy) in 1830 he was elected one of its members.
In 1833 his address is given as Robb's Court, off the [Canongate](/source/Canongate)[{{Cite web|url=http://digital.nls.uk/83399823|title=Edinburgh Post Office annual directory, 1832-1833|last=|first=|date=|website=National Library of Scotland|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2018-01-20}}] but by 1840 he was living at 113 [Princes Street](/source/Princes_Street) in a house looking over [Princes Street Gardens](/source/Princes_Street_Gardens) to [Edinburgh Castle](/source/Edinburgh_Castle).[Edinburgh Post office Directory 1840]
Bonnar died at Edinburgh in 1853 and is buried in [St Cuthbert's Kirkyard](/source/St._Cuthbert's_Church%2C_Edinburgh) in Edinburgh. His monument is almost identical to that of his father in [Dean Cemetery](/source/Dean_Cemetery) who had died only a few years earlier, and is therefore presumed to be by [David Watson Stevenson](/source/David_Watson_Stevenson). Both his sister Elizabeth and his daughter Elizabeth are buried elsewhere in the graveyard, both in the [Kemp](/source/George_Meikle_Kemp) grave. William's sister, Elizabeth Bonnar (1808-1889) married [George Meikle Kemp](/source/George_Meikle_Kemp). He named his daughter Elizabeth (1826-1879) after his sister.
He left behind him many fine pictures, several of which were engraved by his younger brother, [Thomas Bonnar](/source/Thomas_Bonnar_(1810-1873)) (1810-1873).[{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_edin_v/1_engraving_and_engravers_mezzotint_and_etchers.htm|title=Engravings and Engravers - Mezzotint Engravers, Etchers, etc.|website=www.edinphoto.org.uk|access-date=2018-01-20|archive-date=23 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323000539/http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_EDIN_V/1_engraving_and_engravers_mezzotint_and_etchers.htm|url-status=dead}}]
Bonnar is often credited with overseeing the completion of the [Scott Monument](/source/Scott_Monument) following the untimely death of his brother-in-law, [George Meikle Kemp](/source/George_Meikle_Kemp) who had designed the monument and was overseeing its completion when he died in an accident. If true, William would be an odd choice, as one of the few non-architects in the family.
==Works==
thumb|William Bonnar's grave, St Cuthberts, Edinburgh
Bonnar has several works within the [National Gallery of Scotland](/source/National_Gallery_of_Scotland).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/william-bonnar|title=William Bonnar {{!}} National Galleries of Scotland|website=www.nationalgalleries.org|language=en|access-date=2018-01-20}}]
* Reverend Dr [Patrick Clason](/source/Patrick_Clason) (1789-1867) of Buccleuch Church, National Gallery of Scotland
* [Reverend William Cunningham](/source/William_Cunningham_(theologian)) (1805-1861), National Gallery of Scotland
* [George Meikle Kemp](/source/George_Meikle_Kemp) (his brother-in-law), the architect of the [Scott Monument](/source/Scott_Monument), National Gallery of Scotland
* Self-portrait, National Gallery of Scotland
* [Reverend Thomas Chalmers](/source/Thomas_Chalmers), two versions: National Gallery of Scotland and [Angus Council](/source/Angus%2C_Scotland)
* Mrs Isabella Begg (1771-1858), [Robert Burns](/source/Robert_Burns)' younger sister, National Gallery of Scotland
* [George Johnston (naturalist)](/source/George_Johnston_(naturalist)) (1797-1855), National Gallery of Scotland
* "The Tinkers", National Gallery of Scotland
* [John Caird (theologian)](/source/John_Caird_(theologian)) (1820-1898), painted in his youth, McLean Museum, Inverclyde
* [Hugh Miller](/source/Hugh_Miller) (1802-1856), [Highland Council](/source/Highland_Council)