James Elder Christie (1847–1914) was a Scottish painter of portrait and narrative scenes. He was elected to New English Art Club in 1889.
Born in Guardbridge, Fifeshire, Christie trained first in Paisley before moving to London to study at the South Kensington art schools, where he developed the precise draughtsmanship that shaped his later work.
He established himself in London during the 1870s, a period that also brought him into contact with James McNeill Whistler. Both artists attended life classes in Chelsea, where Christie noted Whistler’s small, incisive chalk studies and the particular deference shown to him by the Greaves brothers. Christie’s own work from this time shows a steady refinement of tone and character, and he twice received Royal Academy gold medals in consecutive years.
Alongside portraiture, he produced illustrations for the poetry of Robert Burns and a number of narrative pictures with literary, moral or allegorical themes, reflecting Victorian tastes for storytelling in paint. After a period in Paris he became associated with the New English Art Club, part of the broader shift among British artists seeking alternatives to the Academy’s dominance.
Christie maintained strong ties with Glasgow throughout his life, joining the Glasgow Art Club in the 1880s and later returning to the city, where he was eventually made an honorary member. His career threaded between Scotland and London, between academic training and more progressive circles, giving his work a quietly distinctive place within late‑Victorian painting.
View a selection James Elder Christie's paintings on the ArtUK website.