William Aikman: A Pioneer of British Watercolour William Aikman, born in Edinburgh in 1682 and tragically dying in London in 1731, remains a somewhat enigmatic figure within the burgeoning world of British art. While he didn’t achieve widespread fame during his lifetime, Aikman's contribution to watercolour painting is now recognized as profoundly influential, establishing him as a key precursor to later Romantic landscape artists. His life was marked by both artistic ambition and personal hardship, shaping the distinctive character of his work. Aikman’s early years were spent in Edinburgh,…