Portrait of a Man (said to be James Edgar or John Guthrie)

This portrait of a man at the Lady Lever Art Gallery demonstrates Raeburn’s ability to create compelling portraits even when the sitter’s precise identity is uncertain. Raeburn’s Edinburgh practice was so extensive that many portraits have become separated from their original identification, requiring scholarly detective work to reattach names to faces. 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 portrait displays Raeburn’s characteristic bold technique with strong tonal contrasts. The sitter’s features emerge from shadow with the dramatic clarity that is Raeburn’s hallmark.