RA Collection: People and Organisations
The Foulis Press was established by Robert Foulis (b. Glasgow, 20 April 1707 - d. Edinburgh 2 June 1776). Robert set up a publishing business in Glasgow in 1741 and in 1742 acquired his own press. He bought type from the renowned type-maker and punch-cutter Alexander Wilson (1714–1786). In 1743 he was appointed printer to the Glasgow University. Soon afterwards he went into partnership with his brother, Andrew Foulis (1712-1775). Their press published books in English, Latin, Greek, French and Italian that were noticeable for their quality. Among authors whose works were published were Homer, Horace, Milton and Thomas Gray. The Homer, for which John Flaxman's designs were executed, is perhaps the most famous production of the Foulis press.
The names of the brothers are often reproduced on title-pages and colophons of their publications in their Latinized form, "Robertus et Andreas Foulis".
Andrew Foulis died in 1775. Robert survived until 1776, and his son Andrew (d. 1829) took over the business which was faced with financial difficulties. There was a brief resurgence in the 1780s but the famous Press finally expired in 1800.