Lieutenant Thomas Gifford (1789–c.1836)

This portrait of Lieutenant Thomas Gifford at the Lady Lever Art Gallery records a military figure from the Napoleonic era. Raeburn painted numerous military officers during the period of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, documenting the Scottish contribution to Britain’s military effort during this turbulent period. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays bold, direct brushwork building form through vigorous strokes of light and shadow rather than careful blending, with minimal underdrawing.

The military portrait shows Raeburn rendering uniform details with his characteristic boldness. The officer’s bearing and expression convey the martial confidence appropriate to the Napoleonic era.