PATON, Sir JOSEPH NOEL, R.S.A., one of the most distinguished living Scottish artists, was born in Dunfermline in 1823. It is understood that in early life he employed himself in making for the damask manufacturers of his native place, and for the muslin and lace embroiderers of Paisley. He, however, soon turned his attention to the walk of art proper, and Ids cartoon sketch, " The Spirit of Religion," gained one of the three premiums at the Westminster Hall competition in 1845. Two years thereafter his oil picture of " Christ bearing the Cross," and his "Reconciliation of Oberon and Titania," jointly gained the prize of 42300. He subsequently executed a companion picture to the " Reconciliation," entitled the " Quarrel of Oberon and Titania;" and both now adorn the royal Scottish academy's galleries in Edinburgh. These pictures made the artist's reputation Although somewhat hard and dry in color, and without any retiring and shadowy depth, they are full of brilliant fancy; and the multitudes of figures, and the variety of fairy incident, affect the spectator much in the way that the constant sparkle of Congrcve or Sheridan affects the reader. He has since painted much more simply and powerfully. " Dante Meditating the Episode of Francesca," was exhibited in Edinburgh in 1852; and the "Dead Lady," a work of great and solemn pathos, in 1854. - In 1855 his great picture, The Pursuit of Pleasure," was exhibited
in that city, where it was much criticised and much admired. He has since painted " Home from the Crimea," a replica of which is in the possession of her majesty; and " In Memoriam," a scene from the Indian mutinies; and for the association for the pro motion of the fine arts in Scotland, a series of picture illustrations of the "Dowie Dens o' Yarrow." Among his other pictures of importance are " Dawn: Luther at Erfurt," " The Fairy Raid," " Faith and Reason," " Gethsemane," " Christ and Mary at the Sepulcher," " The Man of Sorrows," "Mors -Tatum, "The Spirit of Twilight," " Thy Will be Done" (1879), etc. Many of his works have been engraved, and are deservedly popular. Along with his brother lie illustrated Aytoun's Lays of' the Scottish, Cavaliers, and in 1864 he executed twenty illustrations of the Ancient Mariner. Paton was appointed queen's limner for Scotland in 1865, received the honor of knighthood in 1867, and in 1876 was made LL.D. by Edinburgh university. He has published two volumes of poems.
Cross, in heraldry (Lat. patens, expanding), a cross with its terminations expanding like early vegetation or an opening blossom.