R A E B U R N. 



301 



llaeburn, Homo fortune ; l.ut in place of settling himself quietly 

 f H *"*''' ^ I'-dinlmrgh, i' 1 '* change in his circumstances seems 

 ""Y^" ' td have increased his desire of excelling in his profession. 



With the view of improving in his art, ne repair- 

 ed to London, nnd introduced himself and his works 

 to the notice of Sir Joshua Reynolds. From that 

 great man Mr. Kaeburn met with the kindest re- 

 t-tption. He recommended n residence in Italy, as 

 likely to enlarge his ideas and promote his improve- 

 incut, nnd he even offered, had it been required, to 

 supply the funds for that purpose. In obedience to 

 this advice, Mr. Kaeburn set out tor Home, with intro- 

 ductory letters from Sir Joshua to the most eminent 

 artists and men of science in that capital. After spend- 

 ing two years in Italy, diligently engaged in studying 

 those great works of art with which that country 

 abounds, he returned in 1787, and established himself 

 in Edinburgh. Having taken apartments in George 

 Street, he found himself at once in the possession of full 

 employment ; and David Martin, who perceived the 

 popularity and success of his rival, speedily retired 

 from business. Mr. Raeburn was, therefore, now 

 placed at the head of his profession in Suotland, an 

 eminence which no artist presumed to dispute with him 

 during the remainder of his life. 



In the year 17.95, Mr. Raeburn built a large house 

 in York Place, the upper part of which he lighted from 

 the roof, and fitted up as an extensive gallery, while 

 the rest of the house was laid out in convenient paint- 

 ing rooms. lie constantly resided at St. Bernard's, near 

 Stockbridge, a house which he had neatly fitted up, on 

 the banks of the Water of Leith, which has here a pic- 

 turesque appearance. Contiguous to his paternal resi- 

 dence there, he purchased some fields on its north 

 bank, which he has feued out on perpetual leases, on a 

 judicious and tasteful plan, and which, from some recent 

 improvements executed by his son, particularly a new 

 stone bridge, promises to be the most extensive, as it is 

 the most beautiful suburb of our fine city. 



The future history of Mr. Raeburn's life is limited to 

 that of the paintings which he executed. Having stu- 

 died exclusively the works of the Italian masters, and 

 having been neither in the habit of seeing the works 

 of his contemporaries nor the English collections of old 

 pictures, he maintained an elevation and dignity of style 

 peculiarly his own. His liknesses were, with a very 

 few exceptions, universally regarded as most striking 

 ones. They were always the most favourable that could 

 be taken, and are highly characteristic of the mind and 

 pursuits of the individual. His equestrian statues ob- 

 tained for him a high degree of reputation, not only 

 from his success in painting horses, but from the skil- 

 ful manner in which he combined them with the hu- 

 man figure. His principal portraits of this kind are 

 those of his own son upon a pony, of Sir David Baird, 

 of the Duke of Hamilton, of the Earl of Hopetoun, 

 and of Lord Kintore's gamekeeper. 



Among the early pictures of Mr. Raeburn may be 

 enumerated those of Sir John and Lidy Clerk, at IVn- 

 uicuick, which were executed soon after his return from 

 Italy ; his portrait of Mr. John Clerk, now Lord Eldin ; 

 and that of the late Principal Hill. Among his full 

 'length portraits, executed during the la^t fifteen years, 

 may be enumerated those of Sir Walter Scott, the late 

 Mr. Keith of llavelstone, Mr. Dugald Stewart, the late 

 Professor Play fair, the late Francis Homer, M. P. the 

 late Lord Frederick Campbell, Glengarry, the late 

 Macnib, the late Mr. Mai:donald of St. Martins, Sir 

 John Hay, liart. Lord Glenlee, Lord Douglas, Dr. 

 Hope, Sir John Douglas, c. &c. 



Among hi* picture* of a smaller size which have been K*h>jm. 

 admired are those of Lady (aiming Gordon, Mr. and 8lr Henr 

 Mrs. Hkeneof Rubislaw, Mrs. Hay, Mr. Thomas Thorn- " 

 son, Mr. John Murray, the celebrated James Watt, and 

 the late Dr. Marcet. 



To this list of some of the best of Mr. Raeburn'g pic- 

 tures, we f>hal 1 subjoin the following general observa- 

 tions on his style of painting, which we believe are from 

 the pen of the Rev. Mr. Thomson of Duddingston. 



" Of Sir Henry Raeburn's pictures it may be said, 

 that few, perhaps none of them, exhibit that attention 

 to finishing, which invites close and minute inspection. 

 At an early period of his career he began to paint for 

 effect, and he seems to have judged that labour unne- 

 cessary which was not to tell in the general result of 

 his works, as viewed at a certain distance from the 

 spectator. In the works of Vandyke, this minutenef* 

 of finish and delicate expression of all the smaller parts 

 has been happily combined with a mastery and power 

 over the generr.l effect, which, while it takes nothing 

 away from their vigour, as teen on the walls of the gal- 

 lery, renders them interesting and delightful as subject* 

 of near inspection and careful analysis. To those who 

 are curious to know how far this latter quality may be 

 sacrificed without prejudice to the former, the pictures 

 of Sir Henry will afford a school of very interesting 

 instruction : nor is that discernment and dexterity to be 

 ranked of ordinary attainment, which can at once see 

 and at once express all that is effective and essential, 

 so as to exhibit at the distance from which it is intend- 

 ed to be seen, the full result of the highest and most 

 careful finishing. All who are conversant with the 

 practice of the art must have observed how often the 

 spirit which gave life and vigour to a first sketch has 

 gradually evaporated as the picture advanced to its 

 more finished state. To preserve this spirit, combined 

 with the evanescent delicacies and Mendings, which 

 appear on minute inspection, constitutes a perfection in 

 art to which few have attained. And if the works of 

 Sir H. fail to exhibit this rare combination, to this dis- 

 tinction they will always have a just claim, that they 

 possess a freedom, a vigour, and spirit of effect, con- 

 veying an impression of grace, and life, and reality, 

 which we look for in vain amidst thousands of pictures, 

 both ancient and modern, of more elaborate execution 

 and pains-taking finish." 



Though Mr. Raeburn devoted himself with unceas- 

 ing assiduity to the labours of his profession, yet he 

 found leisure for cultivating his mind by general read- 

 ing, and had acquired very considerable information on 

 many subjects that were but little connected with the 

 object of his profession. He was passionately fond of 

 mechanics and hydrodynamics ; and though he had 

 not acquired that knowledge of geometry and analysis 

 which is requisite to the profound study of those 

 branches of knowledge, yet he had obtained a practical 

 acquaintance with them, which is not often possessed 

 by the general reader. 



Mr. llaeburn had also paid some attention to the 

 kindred art of sculpture ; and such was his passion for 

 it, that when he was at Rome, he conceived the design 

 of making it his profession. The principal attempt 

 which, in so far as we know, he made in sculpture, was 

 a small medallion of himself, executed after his return 

 from Home ; and it is impossible to see this piece of art 

 without being convinced that Mr. Raeburn would have 

 stood as high as a sculptor as he now does as a painter. 



Mr. Kaeburn was elected a Fellow of the Royal So- 

 ciety of Edinburgh, and a Member of the Imperial 

 Academy of Florence, of the Academy of New York, 



