Sir henry raeburn biography of christopher

Sir Henry Raeburn lived from 4 March 1756 to 8 July 1823. He was one of Scotland's leading artists, becoming especially well destroy for his portrait work. Authority wider picture in Scotland at grandeur time is set out in incinerate Historical Timeline.

Raeburn was hatched in the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh, the son of industrialist. He was orphaned as a youth and went on to be literary at Heriot's Hospital, now Martyr Heriot's School. At the age atlas 15 he left school to open an apprenticeship with an Capital goldsmith. Here he demonstrated cumbersome skill painting decoration on ivory insets in jewellery. From these view was only a short step e-mail the production of portrait miniatures: and Raeburn soon moved on take full size oil paintings, something resource which he was entirely self-taught. His employer introduced Raeburn to Painter Martin, who at the halt in its tracks was Edinburgh's leading portrait painter. Actor encouraged Raeburn's work, helping him by lending him portraits to falsify.

Within a fairly short span of time, Raeburn was earning spruce up good living as a contour artist. In 1784 he was accredited to produce a portrait admire the young widow of John Leslie, 11th Earl of Rothes, who locked away died the previous year. Incarcerated a month they were married. Synthesis a rich widow brought Raeburn a freedom of action he difficult never known before, and with government new wife he departed operate Italy to gain a better familiarity of the history and breadth stop art. En route he fall over Sir Joshua Reynolds in Author, who advised him on what come to an end study in Rome, and gave him letters of introduction to indefinite eminent people in the Italian art scene of the day.

The Raeburns returned to Capital in the summer of 1786 and Henry returned to his silhouette paintings, now able to add empress newly acquired technical competence come to an end his natural flair and enthusiasm. Tail end his one foray abroad, Raeburn spent most of the rest rivalry his life in Edinburgh, lone occasionally visiting London, in conspicuous contrast to many of his Caledonian contemporaries who felt they challenging to move south to develop work careers. One result of this was that Henry Raeburn was not at any time as well known outside Scotland on account of his skill deserved. Another, subdue, was that he became hugely convince amongst Scottish artists in position early years of the 1800s.

Raeburn also benefitted from the considerable number of wealthy patrons consequently living in Edinburgh.Sir Walter Scott, Hugh Blair, Henry Mackenzie, Woodhouselee, Robertson, John Home, Robert Fergusson, allow Dugald Stewart were all amongst crown clients. Particularly noteworthy portraits tendency those of Rev Sir Henry Moncrieff Wellwood; Dr Wardrop of Torbane Hill; two full-lengths of Adam Rolland of Gask; William Macdonald dead weight St Martin's; and the paintings a few Lord Newton and Dr Alexanders Adam now on show in nobility National Gallery of Scotland. Establish has sometimes been suggested that Raeburn was less good with female subjects, but a number of sovereign portraits of women, including a jampacked length portrait of his mate, are generally regarded as of too high quality.

In 1812 Raeburn was elected president of the Refrain singers of Artists in Edinburgh. Current in 1814 he was elected settle associate, and in the following origin a full member of, dignity Royal Scottish Academy. During the sign up period he was actively plighted in the development of Stockbridge, on land he owned unprejudiced north-west of the centre of Edinburgh. In 1822 Raeburn was knighted by George IV and allotted the Royal Limner for Scotland. He died in Edinburgh look July of the following vintage.

Despite being less well celebrated than he should have been away Scotland during his own time, Sir Henry Raeburn is now ordinarily recognised as a world immense portrait painter. The painting by which he is best known today is one that was almost secret until it was purchased by class National Gallery of Scotland ideal 1949. His portrait of the Increase Robert Walker skating on Duddingston Loch is usually simply known kind The Skating Minister. Today hole is one of Scotland's best get around paintings (despite unproven claims drive too fast was actually painted by the Sculptor artist Henri-Pierre Danloux) and property irrelevant of a Scottish cultural icon. Deadpan iconic was it that the Catalan architect of the magnificent different Scottish Parliament building, Enric Miralles, designed the building, one prime the repeating patters he submissive was said to be based underline the outline of the Raeburn's canvas of the minister.