James Duff (1776–1857), 4th Earl of Fife

This 1815 portrait of James Duff, 4th Earl of Fife, at the University of Dundee depicts a Scottish nobleman who was a Major-General in the Spanish service and later in the British Army. The Duff family’s Morayshire estates made them one of the most powerful families in northeast Scotland. Raeburn's distinctive 'square touch' technique applied oil paint in bold, direct strokes without underdrawing, building characterizations through decisive marks that gave his portraits an unusual physical...

Raeburn renders the earl with aristocratic authority, combining military bearing with noble rank. The portrait’s bold technique captures the sitter’s forceful character with characteristic directness.