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Sir Henry Raeburn
John Clerk, Lord Eldin, 1757 - 1832. Judgeabout 1815Clerk, nephew of the architects Robert and John Adam, was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1785. He became a successful barrister with a reputation for speaking his mind and appeared as a defence lawyer during the trial of Deacon Brodie in 1788. He was appointed Solicitor-General in 1806 and was elevated to the bench as Lord Eldin in 1823. However, he was already infirm and lacked the temperament to be a successful judge; he resigned five years later. Clerk was regarded as a rather eccentric Edinburgh character; he was a keen collector of art and extremely fond of cats, with at least six feline companions. After his death an auction of his possessions was held at his house in Picardy Place. The floor gave way during the sale, causing many injuries and one fatality.
Details
- Accession no. PG 1491
- Medium Oil on canvas
- Size 128.20 x 101.60 cm (framed: 156.00 x 129.5 x 13.20 cm)
- Credit Purchased 1947
Sir Henry Raeburn (Scottish, 1756 - 1823)
Originally apprenticed to a goldsmith, Henry Raeburn showed enormous artistic talent as a young man. In 1784 he moved to London where he met the important portrait painter Joshua Reynolds. He spent some time in Italy but returned to Edinburgh in 1787 where he began painting portraits of the rich, famous and important people of his day. He was in constant demand and received many honours: in 1822 he was knighted when the King visited Edinburgh. Sir Henry Raeburn died a year later.