Sir Henry Raeburn R.A. (British, 1756-1823)
Portrait of Alexander, Lord Abercromby of Tullybody (1745-1795)
oil on canvas
67 x 44cm (26 3/8 x 17 5/16in).
Footnotes:
Provenance
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 6 April 1993, lot 45.
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 12 July 1995, lot 41.
Private collection, UK (acquired at the above sale).

The sitter was the son of George Abercromby of Tullybody, Clackmannanshire, and brother of General Sir Ralph Abercromby. After studying in Edinburgh, in 1766, he was admitted as a member of the Faculty of Advocates. In 1783, Abercromby was one of the founders of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He found favour with Henry Dundas, then Lord Advocate of Scotland, and built up a considerable practice, and in 1792 took his seat on the bench of the court of Session. Shortly afterwards he was appointed one of the Lords of Commissions of Justiciary. He assisted Henry Mackenzie in setting up the Mirror, published Edinburgh 1779, and contributed to both this and the Lounger.

A mezzotint engraving of this subject, published 1800, is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG D7130), however this print provides a less cropped view of the sitter.

The canvas has been lined and the paint surface appears a little thin in areas as a result.
Upon very close inspection there are some fine stable lines of craquelure across the work.
Inspection under UV light reveals scattered retouching to the edge of the work; a larger patch to the lower right corner; infilling to the cracking in the sitter's face; and some other minor retouchings elsewhere.

Overall the work does present well.

Framed dimensions - 88 x 66 x 9cm.