Robert William Watson was born on 9 March 1855 at 33 Marlborough Place, Brighton, Sussex the son of William John Watson (1807-1871) and Caroline Butcher. He was part of a family of highland landscape painters and his brothers Charles (1857-1923) and William Watson Jnr (1847-1921) were also artists. His father seems to have travelled around and after spending time in Brighton, the family moved to Bransford Road in Worcester during the early part of the 1860's. Like his brothers, Watson was also taught by his father.

In 1880, he married Alice Ashcroft and they moved to Aughton near Ormskirk and later relocated to the Isle of Mann. They had 4 children and their youngest William Harold Watson (1886-1964) also became an artist.

Like other members of his family, Watson specialised in paintings of sheep and cattle in a Highland setting. He exhibited a number of his works in Glasgow and Liverpool. There was much demand for Watson’s work as Scottish scenes were very fashionable in the late nineteenth century, in part due to Queen Victoria’s visits to Balmoral. His works are always highly detailed and capture the raw essence and atmosphere of the Highlands. He died on 31 August 1921 in the Ramsey Cottage Hospital, Ramsey, Isle of Man.

Examples of his works can be found at the Brighton & Hove Museum, Harris Museum, Maidstone Museum, Oldham Gallery, Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Williamson Art Gallery.