WILLIAM BELL SCOTT (BRITISH, 1811-1890)

Penkill Castle, Ayrshire, was home to the artists William Bell Scott and Alice Boyd (1825-1897). The Boyd family had occupied the miniature castle since the 13th century, and Alice's brother, Spencer Boyd, restored it to its present form in the 1860s. On his death, Bell Scott, his wife and Alice Boyd formed a ménage à trois, splitting their time between the Scotts' home in London, and Penkill.
The castle was visited by many of their artistic friends, largely members of the Pre-Raphaelite circle, who left permanent reminders of their visits in its decoration.