RAEBURN, ra'burn, Sir (1756-1823). A Scottish portrait painter. Ile was born at Stockbridge, near Edinburgh, 141arch 4, 1756, and at the age of fifteen was apprenticed to a gold smith at Edinburgh, painting wafer-color minia tures during his leisure hours. From David Martin, a local portrait painter, lie received sonic inspiration, and learned to adopt a broader treat ment in miniatures. Encouraged by his success in this branch of art, he began to fit himself for portrait painting by copying portraits in oil. After contracting a fortunate marriage in 1778, he was enabled to study abroad, to which he was urged by Reynolds, whom he met on a visit to London. After studying for two years at Rome. he returned to Edinburgh, and soon attained great popularity. He was elected president of the Society of Artists in Scotland in 1812, and Royal Academician in 1815. On a visit of George 1V. to Edinburgh in 1822 he was knighted. and
the following year was appointed the King's limner for Scotland. He died at Edinburgh, July 8, 1823. Raeburn occupies a position in Scottish art similar to that of Reynolds (q.v.) in English. His portraits are strikingly real istic and intense, and are painted in full light. His work has been compared to that of Frans Hals and Velazquez, whom he resembles in this regard and in his facile brush work. The most notable Scotehmen were among his sitters, such as Robertson, Hume, Boswell, Christopher North, Jeffrey, Dugald Stewart, Braxfield, John Erskine. and Sir Walter Scott. There are good examples of his work in the Edinburgh National Gallery, in the National Portrait Gallery, Lon don, and in the Louvre. Consult Andrew William Raeburn, Life of Sir Henry Raeburn (London, 1894).