Original works of art

Born at Dolgaren, Ayrshire, Alexander was first apprenticed to a Kilmarnock horse painter who also painted landscapes. From 1868 he devoted himself to painting dogs and horses, at one point holding a position in the workshop of the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh. Alexander often painted in a loose style with long brushstrokes. Many of his paintings are of animals interacting – Skye Terriers looking at rabbits in a pen, or a mother with puppies. During his lifetime he exhibited at many different locations, including the Royal Scottish Academy and at the Royal Academy in 1887 and 1888.