Elizabeth Blackadder

Dame Elizabeth Blackadder was a distinguished Scottish painter and printmaker, celebrated for her delicate and detailed still life, landscapes, and depictions of flora and fauna. She holds the notable distinction of being the first woman elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy of Arts. 

Blackadder's artistic journey began at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art (1949–1954), where she was influenced by tutors such as William Gillies and William MacTaggart. Her early work exhibited a strong interest in Byzantine art, which later evolved into a unique style characterised by meticulous observation and a subtle use of space. In 1954, she was awarded a Carnegie Travelling Scholarship by the Royal Scottish Academy, allowing her to study art across Europe.  

Throughout her career, Blackadder worked across various media, including oil paints, watercolours, drawings, and printmaking. Her still life compositions are particularly renowned for their arrangement of everyday objects — such as flowers, cats, and oriental artifacts — presented with a sense of serenity and precision. Her work reflects a deep appreciation for the natural world and a keen eye for detail.  

Blackadder's contributions to art were widely recognised. In 1982, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and was later promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2003. In 2001, she was appointed Her Majesty's Painter and Limner in Scotland. 

Her works are held in the Tate Gallery, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.