The Hunterian

Beautiful portraits tell the story of a well-connected man

Allan Ramsay: Portraits of the Enlightenment

Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow
13 September 2013 – 5 January 2014
Admission

Elegant and beautiful paintings by one of Britain’s finest portraitists are at the heart of a new exhibition at the Hunterian Art Gallery.

Allan Ramsay: Portraits of the Enlightenment will cast new light on the work of Allan Ramsay (1713-1784), to mark the tercentenary of his birth.  His elegant style, particularly in his portraits of women, sets him apart from other British portraitists of the time. His paintings reflected his wider engagement in the issues of his day, from politics to matters of taste, archaeology and literature. 

The exhibition will feature a selection of Ramsay’s best works from across his 30 years as a painter, as well as his books, pamphlets and other written material revealing his fascinating place in the intellectual and cultural life of the mid-18th century. It will feature key loans from public and private collections across the UK, including some portraits never shown in Scotland before.

The exhibition and accompanying publication are drawn from significant new research examining the context in which Ramsay painted his most important portraits. Well-travelled and well-connected, it was no accident that he created the defining portraits of two of the most influential figures of the European Enlightenment; Jean Jacques Rousseau and David Hume. New research explores the importance of Ramsay’s Scottish background and his close associations with his influential sitters.

Visitors will see portraits of key figures such as David Hume, Flora MacDonald, and Royal Physician Richard Mead and exquisite portraits of aristocracy, including those of Baroness Stanhope, Caroline Fox and Countess Temple. These go beyond ordinary portraits, reflecting the candour and animation of lively exchanges with friends and equals.

Mungo Campbell, Deputy Director, The Hunterian, says: ‘It is remarkable that Allan Ramsay was remembered at the end of his life more for his erudite writings than his paintings, which shine with empathetic humanity and honesty. It is possibly because he painted for royalty and aristocracy rather than for public exhibition, that many of his finest paintings were scarcely seen outside these circles. We hope that this exhibition will redress the balance.’

The accompanying publication Allan Ramsay: Portraits of the Enlightenment, will be available from The Hunterian shop.

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First published: 11 September 2013