George Harley Drummond c. 1808 - 1809

Henry Raeburn painted this portrait of George Harley Drummond, using oil on canvas, sometime around the late 18th century. Raeburn's approach involved direct engagement with his sitter. He painted from life whenever possible, establishing the composition and then working rapidly to capture the likeness. Look closely and you can see the speed with which the artwork was produced through broad brushstrokes, especially in areas like the landscape background, quickly and efficiently rendered with dynamic marks. It is easy to focus on Drummond, dressed in his finery, but notice also the magnificent animal beside him. Consider the labor that underpins this image: the work to maintain the horse and its tack, the tailoring of the clothing, the management of the estate, and the extraction of the pigment from the earth that makes this painting possible. By attending to the materials and processes of production, we can fully appreciate the social and economic context of the artwork.