Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Scott, Samuel
SCOTT, SAMUEL (1710?–1772), marine painter, was born in London about 1710. From 27 to 31 May 1732 he made a celebrated ‘Five days' Peregrination’ in the Isle of Sheppey in company with William Hogarth [q. v.] and other friends. The journal of the ‘Five Days’ was written by Ebenezer Forrest [q. v.] and published in 1782, illustrated with drawings by Hogarth and Scott, aqua-tinted by R. Livesay. The manuscript is in the King's Library at the British Museum. It was reprinted with the illustrations by Hotten in 1872. Between 1761 and 1771 Scott exhibited three works at the Society of Artists, one at the Free Society, and one, ‘A View of the Tower of London,’ at the Royal Academy in 1771. He was one of the early draughtsmen in watercolours, and has been called the father of English water-colour, but his chief works are in oil. He earned a considerable and well-deserved reputation by his shore and river scenes, which were well drawn and painted, and enlivened with figures, some of which were supplied by Hogarth. Horace Walpole (who had a large collection of his works) says that they ‘will charm in every age,’ and that ‘if he was second to Vandeveldt in seapieces, he excelled him in variety.’ His views of London Bridge, the Custom-house Quay, and other pictures of the Thames earned him the name of the English Canaletto. He lived at Twickenham, but retired to Bath, where he died in Walcot Street, of gout, 12 Oct. 1772, leaving an only daughter. His collection of drawings, prints, &c., was sold by Langford in January 1773. There is a good portrait of Scott by Hudson in the National Gallery and four of his pictures of London. He was the master of William Marlow [q. v.]
[Walpole's Anecdotes, ed. Wornum; Redgrave's Dict.; Bryan's Dict.; Graves's (Algernon) Dict.; Hogarth's Frolic (Hotten); Cat. of National Gallery.]