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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Katherine Hall of Dunglass 1736 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"This picture was painted in Edinburgh in 1736. Shortly after, Ramsay left for London on the first stage of his journey to Italy where he was to study under Francesco Imperiali and attend the French Academy in Rome. Ramsay's period of intensive study was to initiate a dramatic transformation in his style. The sittings for this early portrait would have taken place in the house on Castlehill in Edinburgh known as 'Guse-pye' (goose pie) which he had recently built for his father and namesake, the poet Allan Ramsay. Katherine Hall, the younger daughter of Sir James Hall, 2nd Baronet, of Dunglass married in 1743 the poet William Hamilton of Bangour who was a contributor to the Tea-Table Miscellany published by Ramsay senior."
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Anne Bayne, Mrs Allan Ramsay ca. 1739 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"Ramsay set this portrait, showing his first wife, within a painted oval. His careful handling of the play of light and shadow creates the illusion of a real person existing in palpable space. It reflects his careful observation and creates a freshness and vivacity unmatched in his earlier portraits. The stiffness of Anne's pose suggests this is an early work, probably painted in Edinburgh at the time of the couple's engagement. They married in 1739 and Anne died four years later giving birth to their third child."
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Elizabeth Hodges ca. 1740 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"Elizabeth was the wife of Daniel Cunyngham, a wealthy owner of extensive plantations on the island of St Kitts in the British West Indies. This portrait is one of Ramsay's early works and was painted around 1740. It closely follows Sir Godfrey Kneller's portrait of Margaret Cecil, Countess of Ranelagh, which is in the Royal Collection. Kneller's picture belonged to his well-known series of court ladies, which were painted in the mid-1690s. Kneller's series was influential for subsequent portrait painters, who frequently copied his designs. In this painting, Allan honours his sitter by painting her in the guise of a reputed beauty."
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of James Murray, 2nd Duke of Athol, Lord Privy Seal 1743 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"A lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Scots Regiment, James Murray first entered politics in 1715 as MP for Perthshire. When Murray's elder brother William became involved in the 1715 Jacobite rebellion he was dishonoured and could no longer inherit his father's title or property. James himself was a supporter of the Hanoverian kings, and on the death of his father he inherited the family titles and estates instead. He later resigned his military post and replaced the Earl of Islay as Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland. In 1746 he accompanied the Duke of Cumberland north to crush the Jacobite army, led by his other brother, Lord George Murray, who at one point besieged the family's ancestral home of Blair Castle when it was occupied by Hanoverian troops."
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Sir Peter Halkett Wedderburn, 1st Bart of Pitfirrane and Gosford 1746 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Anne Cockburn, Lady Inglis ca. 1747 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Patrick Grant, Lord Elchies 1749 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of George Bristow 1750 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of a lady 1752 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Thomas Lamb of Rye 1753 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of David Hume 1754 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"This is the first of two portraits by Ramsay of the historian and philosopher, David Hume. It was painted during the Ramsay's extended stay in Edinburgh in 1754, when, along with Adam Smith, Hume and Ramsay helped found the Select Society debating club. This year also saw the publication of Hume's first volume of The History of England. Ramsay has faithfully recorded Hume's physical appearance, which was described by a contemporary as: 'broad and fat, his mouth wide, and without any other expression than that of imbecility . . . the corpulence of his whole person was far better fitted to communicate the idea of a turtle-eating alderman than of a refined philosopher'. Yet Ramsay displays his skill by succeeding in capturing the intelligence and humanity of his friend."
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Mary Degg, Lady Robert Manners ca. 1756 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"Mary Degg was the daughter of Captain William Degg, a British army officer, and Catherine Meighen. Mary's mother died within months of her birth, and her father then remarried while serving in Ireland. On 1 January 1756 Mary married Lord Robert Manners, and within days of their wedding she and her new husband were presented to the King. Mary was described as a great beauty. An imposing portrait of her in later life was painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence in 1826 [she lived to be over ninety, dying in 1829]."
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Mrs Anna Bruce of Arnot ca. 1766-68 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Allan Ramsay Portrait of Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1766 oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland |
"Rousseau (1712-1778) the famous French-Swiss social philosopher and moralist wears the fur hat and fur-trimmed jacket of his favourite American costume. The attire had aroused the curiosity of London society following Rousseau's arrival in Britain in 1766. Ramsay chose a dark background which emphasises the fall of light on Rousseau's head and neck as he turns towards the artist and viewer. Rousseau's revolutionary views on society, education and religion had caused him to flee from persecution by the Swiss and French authorities. Ramsay painted this portrait as a gift for his close friend David Hume, Rousseau's host in London."
– curator's notes from the National Galleries of Scotland