Sir Henry Raeburn

Sir Henry Raeburn

On this day, the eighth of July 1823, the renowned Edinburgh portrait artist Sir Henry Raeburn, died.

Henry Raeburn was the son of a textile mill owner living in Stockbridge on the edge of the growing Edinburgh New Town in 1756 and orphaned early. He was to become the foremost portrait painter of his day. In spite of the loss of his father his brother was able to obtain a place for him at George Heriots school, then of course called a 'hospital,' and later Henry became an apprentice to a goldsmith. His work there involved painting small item of jewellery and he began to paint water colour miniatures of his friends. His talent was recognised and encouraged by David Martin the portraitist.
In 1778 he achieved mans greatest hope, he married a wealthy widow! Anne Leslie, the widow of John, the 11th Earl of Rothes who had died the year before, commissioned him to paint her portrait and one wonders just how smooth a chat up line he used as they were married a month later! Anne Leslie was a dozen years his senior and already possessed three children however now he could afford to devote himself to painting full time.

The Skating Minister Robert Walker

The Deanhaugh Estate came with the marriage, and this at a time Edinburgh was expanding through the building of the New Town. Purchasing the neighbouring St Bernard's estate as the New Town building continued he amassed a fortune owing to the 'Feu' (tax) Duty to be paid. Therefore free from financial care he and his wife travelled to Italy, a popular, though uncomfortable, tour at the time, and on his return in 1787 opened his studio in fashionable George Street, still one of the richest streets in the UK! Later he moved to York Place where his enlarged windows apparently can still be seen! In those studios Raeburn, influenced by such as Joshua Reynolds, painted the leading members of Scotland's society of the day! In all painting over seven hundred portraits. Amongst his sitters were Walter Scott and Robert Walker, possibly his most famous portrait. Others who sat included James Hutton, Neil Gow, Adam Ferguson and David Hume.


As is normal in the 'United Kingdom' Raeburn was somewhat ignored because he did not move to London, travelling there only occasionally. However he did therefore have a strong influence on Scottish art in the 19th century, and became a member of the Royal Society in 1815. He was later knighted by King George IV at Hopetoun House in Edinburgh in 1822.

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