Portrait of a Man Seated in an Armchair (said to be William Fairlie)
Sir Henry Raeburn
(Scottish, 1756–1823)
about 1795
Medium/TechniqueOil on canvas
Dimensions127 x 101.6 cm (50 x 40 in.)
Credit LineBequest of John T. Spaulding
Accession number48.590
On View
Not on viewClassificationsPaintings
Collections
Unlike his fellow Scot, Allan Ramsay, Sir Henry Raeburn worked exclusively in Scotland. He lacked traditional training in draftsmanship, but his vigorous, sympathetic, and direct portraits are deftly painted with broad and thick brushstrokes. His works often feature seated male sitters.
ProvenanceBy descent within the family of the sitter to Mrs. J. Cunningham; December 1, 1910, sold by Mrs. Cunningham to Thomas Agnew and Sons, London (stock no. 3523) [see note 1]; August 11, 1911, sold by Agnew to Marczell von Nemes (b. 1866 - d. 1930), Budapest and Munich. 1913, acquired by a Mr. Brunner [see note 2]. 1915, Ehrich Galleries, New York [see note 3]. 1916, Doll and Richards, Boston; March 21, 1916, sold by Doll and Richards to John Taylor Spaulding (b. 1870 - d. 1948), Boston; 1948, bequest of John Taylor Spaulding to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 3, 1948)NOTES:
[1] Sold as a portrait of "Mr. Fairlie of Fairlie."
[2] When John Taylor Spaulding acquired the portrait in 1916, Ehrich Galleries forwarded him a letter (December 20, 1913) from Raeburn scholar James Greig to a Mr. Brunner (no address) congratulating him on his "possession of the portrait of Mr. Fairlie."
[3] Included in the "Exhibition of Paintings by Gainsborough, Reynolds, Raeburn" (Ehrich Galleries, New York, March 22-April 10, 1915).
Sir Henry Raeburn
Sir Henry Raeburn
Sir Joshua Reynolds
Sir Hubert von Herkomer
Sir Godfrey Kneller
