Captain Patrick Miller
Sir Henry Raeburn·1788/1789, altered later (date unknown)
Historical Context
Raeburn's Captain Patrick Miller from 1788-1789, with later alterations, is an early military portrait that established his reputation with the Scottish officer class that provided significant patronage throughout his career. Patrick Miller was likely connected to the Miller family of Dalswinton, prominent Scottish improvers who were pioneers of steam navigation in the 1780s — if so, this portrait dates from a moment of extraordinary Scottish technological and intellectual ambition. Raeburn's early style, visible here before the full development of his mature technique, shows more conventional modeling than his later work, the face built up with careful attention to academic standards of finish.
Technical Analysis
Evidence of later alteration is visible in the paint layers. The original Raeburn handling — bold and direct — is supplemented by later modifications, creating an interesting document of the portrait's extended history.
Provenance
(Wallis & Son, London), 1910; purchased by Sir Edgar Vincent, bt., later 1st viscount d'Abernon [1857-1941], Esher and Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey; sold c. 1917 to (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, New York, and Paris);[1] purchased 1919 by Mr. [d. 1933] and Mrs. Charles H. Sabin, Southampton, Long Island, New York; Mrs. Sabin [née Pauline Morton], who married Dwight F. Davis, Washington, D.C., in 1936; gift 1948 to NGA. [1] Duveen Brothers to Mrs. John Shapley, 5 August 1948, in NGA curatorial files.
