Miss Davidson Reid
c. 1800/1806
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 75.5 x 64 cm (29 3/4 x 25 3/16 in.) framed: 91.4 x 80.6 x 6.6 cm (36 x 31 3/4 x 2 5/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection
Accession Number
1970.17.131
Art Historical Context
Behold the poised elegance of *Miss Davidson Reid*, a captivating portrait attributed to Sir Henry Raeburn, Scotland's preeminent portraitist of the late 18th and early th centuries. Painted around 1800–1806 in oil on canvas, this half-length depiction measures 75.5 x 64 cm, showcasing a young woman in the refined attire of Regency-era Britain. Raeburn, knighted by King George IV, mastered luminous skin tones and direct gazes that conveyed the sitter's inner character, reflecting the Enlightenment-era fascination with individuality and realism. Raeburn's style, rooted in the Scottish Enlighte...