Mrs Farquarson Of Finzean 1800 - 1823

This is Henry Raeburn’s portrait of ‘Mrs Farquarson Of Finzean’. Raeburn was a leading portrait painter in Scotland during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period marked by the Scottish Enlightenment and burgeoning industrialization. In this portrait, Mrs Farquarson is depicted with a subdued elegance. The dark dress and the tartan shawl subtly nod to her Scottish identity, while also conforming to the conventions of portraiture for women of her social standing. Note how Raeburn captures a sense of reserved dignity. Her expression seems to hold a hint of melancholy, reflecting perhaps the constraints placed upon women in that era. Raeburn, like many of his contemporaries, navigated the complex dynamics of class and gender in his work, portraying his subjects in ways that both celebrated and subtly questioned the established social order. This portrait offers us a glimpse into the life of a woman living in a time of great social and cultural change.