James Morison of Naughton, with His Granddaughter

Wilkie's double portrait of James Morison of Naughton with his granddaughter belongs to the strain of informal Scottish portraiture he developed in contrast to the grand ceremonial manner of Lawrence. Morison, a Scottish landowner, is shown in a domestic or garden setting with a child rather than against the conventional neutral background — a choice that emphasises familial warmth over aristocratic prestige. The multi-generational grouping connects to Wilkie's genre training, his ability to tell a human story within the portrait format.

Wilkie positions the elderly man and young child as contrasting figures — the adult's weathered features against the child's fresh face — using size and proximity to suggest the tenderness of the relationship. The outdoor setting is treated loosely, background foliage serving as atmosphere rather than topographic specificity.