Waller Hugh Paton born in Dunfermline in 1828 was a leading pre raphelite Scottish landscape painter in watercolour and oils. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy (ARSA) in 1857 and became a full member (RSA) in 1865. In 1878 he became a member of the Royal Society of Watercolourists (RSW).
Paton was one of the few of his generation to work "en plain air", the fashion then being to complete landscapes in the comfort of a studio.
John Ruskin was a known supporter of Paton and defended his work when under criticism by the Scotsman newspaper. The artist was a regular exhibitor at the RSA, reportedly exhibiting over 400 paintings throughout his career.
Patons developing success as an artist was marked in 1862 when commissioned by Queen Victoria to produce a drawing of Hollyrood Palace in Edinburgh.
Waller Hugh Paton suffered ill health for the last ten years of his life and died at home in Edinburgh in 1895.