1860 - 1935
Thorburn is Britain's foremost wildlife artist. First of the great wildlife painters whose works were reproduced photographically, marking an important change from the tradition of Audubon and Gould. More prints have been produced of his work than of any other artist. His compositions are minutely detailed, remarkably accurate although sometimes lacking artistic fluency.
Born in Dumfries, the son of the miniaturist, Robert Thorburn, A.RA, he went to London where he became a popular illustrator and painter of birds. He was friends with other naturalist-artists like George Lodge and Joseph Wolf under whose influence he came.
For Lord Lifford he illustrated Game Birds and Waterfowl, British Birds and British Mammals. Although watercolour was his usual medium and birds his usual subjects, occasionally he painted pictures of dogs and deer. He exhibited 16 works at the RA.