15 Facts About Henry Raeburn

Henry Raeburn served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland.

Henry Raeburn had an older brother, born in 1744, called William Raeburn.

Henry Raeburn was especially aided by the loan of portraits to copy.

Henry Raeburn was fortunate in the time in which he practised portraiture.

Apart from himself, Henry Raeburn painted only two artists, one of whom was Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey, the most important and famous British sculptor of the first half of the 19th century.

Henry Raeburn spent his life in Edinburgh, rarely visiting London, and then only for brief periods, thus preserving his individuality.

Henry Raeburn became the acknowledged chief of the school which was growing up in Scotland during the early 19th century, and his example and influence at a critical period were of major importance.

Henry Raeburn died in Edinburgh not long after on 8 July 1823.

Henry Raeburn had all the essential qualities of a popular and successful portrait painter.

Henry Raeburn was able to produce a telling and forcible likeness; his work is distinguished by powerful characterisation, stark realism, dramatic and unusual lighting effects, and swift and broad handling of the most resolute sort.

Henry Raeburn has been described as a "famously intuitive" portrait painter.

Henry Raeburn was unusual amongst many of his contemporaries, such as Reynolds, in the extent of his philosophy of painting directly from life; he made no preliminary sketches.

Sir Henry Raeburn died in St Bernard's House, Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

Henry Raeburn is buried in St Cuthbert's churchyard against the east wall but has a secondary memorial in the Church of St John the Evangelist, Edinburgh.

Henry Raeburn made more than a thousand paintings spanning 50 years.