ANDERSON, John Burgess in Aberdeen, Painter ^{1 2}

   User ID: L938.

  General Notes:

"The above mentioned John Anderson, brother of David Anderson of Finzeauch - known as 'David do a'thing' - and a son of Gilbert Anderson, some time a magistrate of Aberdeen, was, on 6th October, 1601, admitted as a simple burgess of Aberdeen. On 27th May, 1612, while resident in Edinburgh as a painter, he secured as a ' 'prenteis,' 'for audit yeiris,' his nephew, George Jamesone (then aged about 24), who was afterwards to blossom forth as 'the Scottish Vandyck.' On 6th September, 1616, Anderson was promoted from the grade of a simple to that of a guild burgess of Aberdeen, the latter privilege being restricted to residenters of a certain class, It is probable, therefore, that his removal to Aberdeen before September, 1616, had led to the breaking of the indenture when Jamesone had gone to the Continent to prosecute his art studies. Thus the statement by Kennedy that Jamesons returned to Aberdeen from the Continent about 1620 may he correct in fact. In any event, these particulars prove that Anderson was no commonplace artisan. Indeed, I strongly support Mr Bulloch's opinion that the painting by Jamesone, dated 1627 - supposed to be that of ''Davie do a'thing' - which came into the possession of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery about eighteen years ago - is none other than the artist's apprentice-master 'Joannes Andersone pictor.' "

from Notes and Queries ²

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Admitted: Burgess, 6 October 1601, Aberdeen. ²

John married.