Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this portrait oil by the artist John Horsburgh, who has signed the portrait to the lower centre and enscribed it Edin. (Edinburgh) 1875. Although on a rectangular canvas, where the artist has signed to the lower right hand corner, he must have had a change of heart and decided to paint a feigned oval and sign again within the oval, as shown. The portrait depicts a gentleman in his middle years, with blue eyes, mid brown hair and sporting mutton chop sideburns. He is wearing a black jacket, white shirt and a narrow black bow tie. Unfortunately, as the portrait was acquired unframed, and any clue to the subject's identity may have been lost, we are unaware of his identity, although he is presumably Scottish.

John Horsburgh, 1835-1924 was born on 6th February 1835 in Eddleston, Peeblesshire, the son of a shoemaker. He was apprenticed to a silk mercer in Edinburgh in his youth, but his interest soon turned to photography, and by 1863, he had set up his studio in Edinburgh in South Bridge, which moved briefly to 17 Princes Street and finally to 131 Princes Street by 1868. By the 1871 Census, he was living at 13 Abbortsford Park Edinburgh and he was employing 3 photographers and 3 artists, presumably to colour in the photograhs, which was often done in those times. In the 1881 Census he was a man of 46, listed as an Artist and Photographer and living at 10 Strathearn Road.

Between 1889 and 1898, his business changed to John Horsburgh & Son (This son being John Alfred Horsburgh, born 1862, who also painted). In 1891 he was living at 'Albania', 48 St. Albans, Edinburgh, where he was working from home as an Art Consultant and Painter. After 1898, when John Senior retired from the photography business, the business became John A. Horsburgh until 1915 at 4 West Maitland Street. By the 1901 Census, he was listed as a Retired Artist and Portraitist at Aberdour House, Aberdour, Fife. (This house was used by Admiral Beatty of Jutland fame during WWI) However, he was still offering his services as a portraitist in the 1920s, according to his letter head, where he offered portraiture without tedious life sittings at The Langham Hotel in London, in private residences, chambers and clubs, and in Corstorphine in Edinburgh. Possibly he based his portraits on photographs to avoid the sittings. At some stage, he was apparently elected a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, as some of his paintings show FRSSA after the signature.

John Horsburgh died at the end of September 1924, as his obituary appeared in The Scotsman on 1st October 1924. Anyone wishing to see more examples of his work, details of his family life (he had 10 children by his wife Agnes, nee McIntosh, who he married in 1856, 8 of whom survived him), should put his name into google and visit edinphoto.org, where these is an extensive biography. His son Victor Daniel (born 1866) became a well known architect and moved to Toronto in Canada where he founded a Canadian branch of the family. John Alfred (born 1862), as well as being a photographer like his father, was a portraitist and miniaturist. Edith M.(born 1874) also became an artist.

He has no connection with the Scottish engraver John Horsburgh 1791-1869.

There are several portraits by John Horsburgh in Museums and Galleries in Scotland and he is listed in the Dictionary of Scottish Painters. His son Victor and daughter Edith are both listed in The Dictionary of British Artists as having exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy, but their father does not appear to have exhibited. His auction results are available at the usual sites, but a lot appear to be in private hands. There are sixteen of his portraits in the National Collection, which can be viewed at ArtUK.org.

The painting is newly glazed, mounted in gold and framed in a 3 3/8 inch gilt frame to suit. It will be fitted with new brass hangers, new brass picture wire and will be ready to hang.

Image Size: 20 3/8 x 17 inches - 51.75cm x 42,15cm

Canvas size: 24 x 20 inches - 61cm x 50.8cm

Frame size: 30 1/4 x 26 1/4 inches - 76.85cm x 66.65cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good. The painting is clean and there are no repairs, or other damage. There is a very small amount of very fine craquelure. The mount, glass and frame are new.