Biography

Edinburgh-born Brown was the son of a jeweller and watchmaker and studied at the Trustees' Academy. He was in Italy from 1771 to 1780, working alongside Alexander Runciman and Henry Fuseli. Although influenced by his friends' romantic reaction to the past, Brown did not produce large narrative paintings, instead, he drew accurate views of Roman antiquities and Italian scenery for his Scottish patrons. When he returned to Britain he specialised in pencil miniature portraits, sittings for which took one hour.