About this artwork

Born into a staunchly Jacobite family (The Oliphants of Gask), Lady Nairne was one of the country's leading songwriters. Writing under the name 'Mrs Bogan of Bogan', she successfully adapted traditional Scottish airs. Many of her songs make clear her Jacobite sympathies, for example; 'Charlie is my darling' and 'Will ye no come back again'. She was an early admirer of Robert Burns and much of her work was inspired by the example Burns set with his adaptation of older songs.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
  • title:
    Carolina Oliphant, Baroness Nairne, 1766 - 1845. Songwriter
  • date created:
    About 1818
  • materials:
    Oil on canvas
  • measurements:
    76.10 x 63.40 cm; Framed: 102.50 x 89.70 x 11.20 cm / 20.00 kg
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Given by Dr R.F. Barbour 1930
  • accession number:
    PG 1125
  • gallery:
  • depicted:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Sir John Watson Gordon

Sir John Watson Gordon

John Watson Gordon was training to become an army engineer when, encouraged by his uncle, the painter, George Watson, and Raeburn, who was a family friend, he decided to become an artist. His first works were subject pictures but, after Raeburn's death in 1823, he established himself as the leading portrait painter in Scotland. His style was at first closely based on Raeburn but was later more influenced by his admiration for Velázquez. In 1850 he was elected President of the Royal Scottish Academy, appointed Queen's Limner for Scotland and knighted.