Alexander Carse

Alexander Carse ( – February 1843) was a Scottish painter known for his scenes of Scottish life. His works include a large canvas of George IV's visit to Leith and three early paintings of football matches.

Life Carse was born in Innerwick in East Lothian to William and Catherine Carse, and was baptised early in 1770. Carse started at the Trustees Drawing Academy of Edinburgh in 1801; here he studied Dutch painting, which influenced his later representations of interiors. He was taught by David Allan, who was a strong influence on his early style. By 1808 he was described as the best painter of village scenes by the Scottish antiquarian the 11th Earl of Buchan.

By his early thirties Carse was exhibiting paintings in London at the Royal Academy and at the British Institution. Both paintings were exhibited but it was Wilkie who sold his painting to the Prince Regent. Despite Carse's attempts to take on Wilkie's style his business proved unsustainable and Carse moved back to Scotland. One of his largest and most detailed paintings is of the Royal visit by George IV to Leith in 1822. This was a rare visit by a reigning monarch to Scotland, which was arranged and organised by Sir Walter Scott. The painting is , and contains hundreds of figures and a large number of portraits. From 1810 Carse also made three paintings of football matches,

Carse is believed to have had two sons, who were both painters: William Carse and James Howe Carse. William worked in Scotland, whilst James emigrated to South Australia.

In the 1830s "Alexander Carse, portrait painter" is listed as living at 68 Abbey Hill, just north-east of Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. Carse died in poverty in February 1843, although the precise place and date of his death are unknown.