Robert Ronald McIan (1803 - 1856)

Robert Ronald McIan

Robert Ronald McIan was a Scottish painter, illustrator and actor.

Alongside his acting work, McIan began painting landscapes and portraits. But he is best known for his illustrations for The Clans of the Scottish Highlands, published in 1845 to mark the centenary of the Jacobite rebellion, with texts by James Logan (1797-1872). The book, filled with colorful romanticized depictions of the Highlanders, their battles, and their lives, proved so popular that it was republished after his death. The book was dedicated to Queen Victoria, who revived interest in the Highland Scots.

In 1852, McIan was elected a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Academy.