William Henry Midwood

Lady Arrol, Baron's Court, London;
Private Collection

London, Royal Academy, 1852, no. 354;
Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Academy, 1926, no.123

The canvas is original. There are some very minor undulations in places. There is some craquelure and some suggestion of very minor paint separation in places, particularly towards the lower edge. Otherwise in good condition. Ultraviolet light reveals some cosmetic retouching to the foliage around the figures and to the lower foreground. There are some further touches to the arm and chin of the male figure, to the bonnethair and shawl of the female figure and to the dog. Held in a decorative gold painted frame in fair condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Robert Burns is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and was the eldest of the seven children of William Burness, a self-educated tenant farmer from Dunnottar, and Agnes Broun, the daughter of a tenant farmer from Kirkoswald, South Ayrshire. Mary Campbell, known as Burns' Highland Mary, was born to a seaman named Archibald Campbell of Daling and Agnes Campbell of Auchamore who had married in 1762. Mary was the eldest of a family of four. She lived with her parents, first, near Dunoon, then at Campbeltown, and finally at Greenock. As a young girl, she went to Ayrshire and became a nursemaid in Gavin Hamilton's house in Mauchline. Hamilton's married daughter, Mrs Todd, remembered Mary Campbell coming to look after her brother Alexander in 1785, Mrs Todd described her as 'very pleasant and winning', though not a beauty. From there, she moved to Coilsfield (Burns's 'Castle o' Montgomery') where she was employed as a dairymaid. According to Grierson, who met Mary's sister, Mrs Anderson, in 1817, Mary was 'tall, fair haired with blue eyes'.

According to Burns's mother, and his sister, Isabella, Burns turned seriously to Mary Campbell after he had been 'deserted' by Jean Armour, who was pregnant with his illegitimate child and despatched by her father to Paisley in March 1786, to prevent a local scandal. In the spring of 1786, Burns wrote a song entitled 'The Highland Lassie, O'.

She has my heart, she had my hand,
By secret troth and honor's band!
Till the mortal stroke shall lay me low,
I'm thine, my Highland Lassie, O."

Burns himself later wrote that 'this was a composition of mine in very early life, before I was known at all in the world. My Highland lassie was a warm-hearted charming young creature as ever blessed a man with generous love. After a pretty long tract of the most ardent reciprocal attachment we met by appointment, on the second Sunday of May, in a sequestered spot by the Banks of Ayr, where we spent the day in taking farewell, before she should embark for the West Highlands to arrange matters among her friends for our projected change of life. At the close of Autumn following she crossed the sea to meet me at Greenock, where she had scarce landed when she was seized with a malignant fever, which hurried my dear girl to the grave in a few days, before I could even hear of her illness.' It is thought that Burns had asked Mary to go with him to Jamaica; that she consented, but died at Greenock before the plan could be put into action. We also learn, however, that on that May Sunday Burns and Mary Campbell exchanged Bibles and possibly some sort of matrimonial vows.

The current painting is a wonderful depiction of the moment Mary presents Burns with her Bible as a symbol of her love and faith. This work is without question among the most important of Faed's Scottish subjects alongside his famous work entitled The Last of The Clan, depicting the Highland Clearances which took place in the eighteenth century. Thomas Faed who as born in Edinburgh spent most of his career working in London and was regarded as one of the most successful and popular painters of his generation.