Sir Henry Raeburn, R.A. (Stockbridge 1756-1823 Edinburgh)

Publisher and collector of music, the sitter counted Beethoven and Robert Burns among his circle, and was also employed by Scotland's major art body, the Board Trustees from 1780 until 1839, a position which must have given him many opportunities to meet Sir Henry Raeburn. Raeburn also painted the sitter's wife, Katherine Miller (1764-1841) (D. Mackie, op.cit., no.706, private collection). Their granddaughter became Mrs Charles Dickens. In his will the sitter instructed his sons to present this portrait and the companion of Mrs Thomson to the Royal Scottish Academy, 'as specimens of the talents of the admirable artist who honoured me with his friendship and delighted me with his society'. A codicil later cancelled this provision and the portrait remained with the family. There is a copy in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, attributed to W.S. Watson. Dating the portrait is not easy but it could be of as early as circa 1805, yet it has some similarities with Raeburn's Lord Francis Jeffrey (Mackie, op.cit., no. 432), engraved by Freeman, in 1812.

We are grateful to Dr. David Mackie, St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, for the above entry.