A NATIVE of Glasgow, Mr. Crawford was born on the 29th January, 1842, at Govanbank, a house which was removed at the laying out of the Richmond Park, and he can count a connection, among his antecedents, with two of the most memorable catastrophes in the history of the city. His father was a junior partner in the great business of the Dennistouns of Golfhill, bankers and foreign merchants, at the time of its stoppage in 1857, with liabilities of four millions sterling, which however were all fully met within twelve months; and at a later day, after building up a successful business as a wool merchant, he was involved in a very serious loss by the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank. The artist's mother came of an old Glasgow family, dating back to the 17th century. One of two brothers, Mr. Crawford himself was educated at Glasgow Academy, at Wimbledon, and at Glasgow University. Afterwards he spent some time on the Continent, and saw some of the most famous picture galleries of Europe, though at that time he had no idea of becoming a painter. Still later he gained further experience of life during a sojourn of three years in Canada, and it was only after returning to this country that, at about the age of thirty, he drifted into his present profession.
    His earliest canvases were mostly landscapes, and at the exhibition which he gave in Glasgow in 1908, a number of these were shown. An example of his open-air work - "A Stormy Sea at Portincross," presented by Mr. G. J. Kidston, is in the Glasgow art Galleries. But his most esteemed work is probably his portrait-painting, and for many years no Glasgow exhibition has been without notable examples from his brush in this field. Among his recent canvases have been portraits of Mr. John Inglis, LL.D., Mr. Walter Neilson of Ewenfield, Mr. Andrew Bain, the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chrystal, and Mrs. Chrystal of Auchendennan, Professor David Finlay, Mrs. Mathew, Mrs. William Robertson, Miss Elsie Johnston, the Rev. Robert Watson, and Mr. Harry Hart, the last-named painted for Prestwick Golf Club. One of the most typical of his portraits perhaps was that of the daughters of Mr. R. K. Holmes Kerr, which was shown in the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901.
    Like some of the old Italian artist-craftsmen, Mr. Crawford is also skilful with his hands in other ways than with the brush. By way of leisure pastime he has produced not a few violins of merit. One of these instruments was used throughout an entire season by Mr. Maurice Sons, the well-known leading violinist of the Scottish Orchestra. He has also accumulated a collection of objects of oriental art, which contains many good pieces of Japanese lacquer. These are his winter recreations. In summer, all his life, he has spent his leisure in yachting, mostly about the Firth of Clyde. He is a lover of flowers, and each year brings to town some fine interpretations of the colour-charm and character of garden blooms from his summer home on the Firth of Clyde.
    Mr. Crawford is married, and has a numerous family of sons and daughters.

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