George IV (1762-1830)

David Wilkie's portrait of George IV of 1829 depicts the King in formal Highland dress — the same theatrical Scottish costume he had worn during his famous 1822 Edinburgh visit that Scott organized — several years after that transformative event. Wilkie was appointed King's Limner for Scotland in 1823, and his royal portraits served both court function and the mythologizing of Scotland as the source of authentic national identity that the Highland cult promoted. The portrait documents the peculiar relationship between England's most extravagant king and the Scottish identity that he appropriated as costume.

Wilkie renders the portly king in Highland dress with diplomatic flattery and rich, warm palette. The full-length format and the careful rendering of the tartan costume reflect the romantic Scottishness promoted during the royal visit.