EARLY PORTRAIT OF ROBERT BURNS AT BONHAMS ANNUAL SCOTTISH SALE IN EDINBURGH
An intriguing early portrait of Robert Burns, Scotland’s greatest poet and song-writer, is to be offered for auction in Part I of Bonhams Annual Scottish Sale on August 20th in Edinburgh. It is conservatively estimated at £5,000-7,000.
The portrait dates from the winter of 1786-7, during the writer’s first stay in Edinburgh. Although the 27 year old Burns was still farming with his brother Gilbert in his native Ayrshire he was also establishing a literary reputation, having published, in July 1786, his first volume of poetry – the celebrated Kilmarnock Edition. He had gone to Edinburgh to arrange the second or Edinburgh Edition, brought out by the publisher William Creech in April 1787.
Burns was introduced by his patrons who included the Earl of Glencairn and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh to the leading lights of the cultural and artistic life of the capital. Among these was the painter Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840), who became a close friend and confidant and painted the poet from life for the frontispiece of the Edinburgh Edition. This famous work is now exhibited at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
The painting to be auctioned is almost certainly by one of Nasmyth’s children, several of whom were artists, and depicts Burns sitting in a chair. It, too, appears to have been painted from life. His facial features and clothing are entirely in keeping with contemporary observations of him. His hair is jet black, his eyes large and very dark, as recorded by, among others, Sir Walter Scott. His lips are slightly parted, described as their habitual position when not speaking by his brother Gilbert.
Bonhams Head of Pictures in Scotland, Chris Brickley, said,” This is one of the earliest portraits we have of Burns. It was painted while he was tasting the first fruits of success as a poet and was almost certainly derived from a life study which gives the likeness an appealing freshness and immediacy.”
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com.
