Sir Henry Raeburn, R.A.

By descent from the sitter to Andrew Hamilton, Esq.;
By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, 10 November 1982, lot 40;
With Colnaghi, New York. 

Possibly W. Raeburn Andrew, Life of Sir Henry Raeburn, R.A., London 1894, p. 143, no. 230;
Possibly W. Armstrong, Sir Henry Raeburn, London 1901, p. 109.

The canvas is lined. The paintings presents a handsome figure with in overall good condition. There is some scuffing with minor loss along edges, for example on the right side. On the bottom two separate scratches run very thinly across from right to left, though these are not distracting. Inspection under UV shows small scattered retouches to background, with a more concentrated area on the top left side. Thinly applied scattered strokes of retouching are on face, hands, and the red chair he sits on, with more prominent areas on his dark suit and around his head at right. What is possibly an old repair fluoresces on his proper right leg on the bottom left side. Further areas of note are along the bottom edge, following the two aforementioned scratches and on the table his hand rests on. The painting could hang in its present state and is offered in an elaborately carved, gilded wood frame.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The sitter was the son of William Murray (d. 1814) and his second wife, Elizabeth Gibson.  He lived at Polmaise Castle, Stirling, in Scotland and married three times: first in 1772, to Margaret Callender, with whom he produced a son and heir, also called William; second in 1791 to Anne Campbell; and third in 1805 to Grace Speirs. Dr. Duncan Thomson, who has examined the painting by photograph, dates the painting to quite late in Raeburn's career, stylistically circa 1818 though given Murray's dates, probably as early as 1813/14.  Dr. Thomson, to whom we are grateful, notes Raeburn's characteristic handling of the paint in his both vigorous and subtle brushwork, as well as the artist's impressive attention to not just the sitter's appearance but also his perceived character.