Nisbet was born in Stirling, Scotland and received special artistic training, and was educated under the Rev.
He spent one year of the period acquiring theatrical experience at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, under the actor Richard Stewart.
[2] Nisbet returned to London in 1872, and spent some time in studying and copying pictures in the National Gallery and in South Kensington.
[3] Among his best-known paintings are "Eve's first Moonrise," "The Flying Dutchman," "The Dream of Sardanapalus," four pictures of "The Ancient Mariner," and "The Battle of Dunbar.
During the next 10 years he published a few more books, including Hathor and Other Poems, which appeared as the first volume of his poetic and dramatic works in 1905.