Sir William Allan, a Scottish historical painter, born in Edinburgh in 1782, died Feb. 22, 1850. Failing to obtain patronage in London, he went to Russia, where he spent ten years, and made visits to the Crimea, Circassia, and Turkey. In 1814 he returned to Edinburgh, where he became intimate with Sir Walter Scott, through whose influence his picture of the "Circassian Captives " was purchased by subscription for 1,000 guineas. In 1841 he once more went to St. Petersburg, where he executed for the emperor a painting of "Peter the Great teaching his Subjects the Art of Shipbuilding," now in the winter palace. In 1826 he was made an associate of the royal academy at London, and in 1835 an academician. He was president of the royal Scottish academy from 1838 till his death.