Tavernor Knott

Tavernor Knott WSA (occasionally written Taverner Knott) (1816-1890) was a Scottish portrait and genre artist. He was the paternal uncle of Cargill Gilston Knott.^[1]

Life

He was born in Aberdeen in 1816 the son of John Knott (b.1754), a music teacher, and his wife Sophia Pelham. His family (including a sister Sophia M. Knott and brother Lavernor Knott) appear to have moved to 2 St Patrick Square in Edinburgh around 1830.^[2]

In 1839 Knott is listed as a portrait painter living at 2 St Patrick Square in Edinburgh’s South Side.^[3] As the main householder it must be presumed that his father was now dead. On 3 May 1878 he is listed as a Master Mason of the Humber Lodge, at that date being affiliated also as a member of the Celtic Lodge (2 Brodie’s Close on the Lawnmarket).^[4] On 1 December 1879 a page in William Gladstone’s diary indicates that he wrote to Tavernor Knott from Taymouth Castle shortly before visiting Edinburgh.^[5] This appears to have led to a commission as a portrait of Gladstone is amongst his known works.^[6]

In later life Tavernor’s address was 32 York Place in Edinburgh’s First New Town.^[7]

He died at 32 York Place in 1890.

Known Portraits

See ^[8]

• William Dick, University of Edinburgh
• Patrick C. McGregor, Paisley Art Gallery and Museum
• John Crawford, Chairman of the Troglodyte Club, Paisley Art Gallery and Museum
• Bailie Robert Cranston, City of Edinburgh Council (father of Sir Robert Cranston)
• Joseph Jones, Hull Guildhall
• Rev William Black (1801-1851), Hunterian Art Gallery
• Rev Norman Macleod (1812-1872), National Portrait Gallery of Scotland
• William Gladstone (c.1880)

Historical Compositions

See^[9]

• Settlers in the New World (1841)
• Indian Encounter (1841)
• Scottish Emigrants Halting in the Prairie (1841)

References