Footnotes

• Provenance:
  Leopold Hirsch Esq., London
  Christie's, London, 1934, Lot 122
  
  Exhibition:
  Special Loan Collection, Birmingham Art Gallery, 1903
  
  Note:
  The sitter, Mary Duff, was the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert William Duff (1767-1834) several of whose family members were also painted by Raeburn. As a matter of interest, Colonel Duff was godfather to the poet Lord Byron (1788-1824), who as a child, lived in Scotland and visited the estate of Fetteresso on many occasions.
  
  We would like to thank Dr. Duncan Thomson for his assistance in authenticating this painting on the basis of a photograph.

Auction Notices

• Please note: DATE: circa 1799, on stylistic grounds. ADDITIONAL PROVENANCE: when sold in 1934 the buyer was Frank Partridge and Sons, London ADDITIONAL EXHIBITION HISTORY: the portrait was exhibited as no 58 at Birmingham in 1903 LITERATURE: James Greig, "Raeburn", 1911, p. 43; David Mackie, "Complete Catalogue of Raeburn, Life and Art" unpublished PhD Thesis, Edinburgh University and Yale, 1994, Mackie no. 231, pp.341-2, and for the companion portrait Mackie no 230, pp. 340-41 BIOGRAPHY: The sitter was Mary Morrison, Mrs Robert William Duff of Fetteresso and Culter (died 1833), daughter of George Morrison of Haddo. She married her step-brother Lieutenant-Colonel Robert William Duff of Fetteresso and Culter (1767-1834) who also sat to Raeburn. The details of his portrait are given below. Her husband Lt.-Col. Robert William Duff (1767-1834), of the Forfarshire Militia, was the son of Robert Duff of Logie, who was vice-Admiral of the Red and who had purchased Fetteresso in 1782, and his wife Lady Helen Duff, daughter of the 1st Earl of Fife. The companion portrait (Sotheby's NY, 14 Jan 1988 (176)), now in a US private collection, has been examined by David Mackie. We are grateful to Dr. Mackie for providing this additional information.

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Category: Fine Art / 19th Century Paintings (US Historic)

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