Silhouette of Robert Burns

Description

Silhouette painted on paper of Robert Burns. The words 'Mr Burns, Kilmarnock, 1787' are written in ink under the image. The silhouette is in a rosewood frame with a metal hanging ring. The frame has been gilded on the inner edges. It is backed with a mixture of paper and vellum. The image is one of four made after a silhouette by the artist John Miers who used ink painted on plaster.

There are several pieces of paper pasted to the back of the frame. One at the top has the words 'of John Cotterell' written on it in an 18th century hand, so it is likely that Burns gave this silhouette to his friend.

One is a round, cream coloured label with a pinked edge, which has 395 written on it. The cream label has been pasted on top of a larger yellow label which is torn. The yellow label has the following words printed on it: ... Exhibition, Glasgow, 1911. Palace of History. The word preceding exhibition is obscured by the cream label. The following words are printed on the yellow label: sender's name, address, article lent. Some of these fields have been completed in blue black ink.

The sender's name is Francis Wellesley, address Woking, the article lent is described as 'Silhouette portrait of Burns by Miers 1787'. The words 'This label to be attached to article inside package only' are also printed on it. There is a small brown card label with a pink cord attached pasted to the back of the yellow label.

The yellow label partially obscures other inscriptions on the back of the item including one which reads: 'This portrait is one of ... authentic portraits of ... (See Dictionary of Na[tional Biography] Vol 3 page 436)'. Another reads: 'Bard of Scots...'

There is a small rectangular white sticker with a blue border pasted to the back of the silhouette. This has 172 written on it.

A rectangular white piece of paper is pasted on to the vellum which covers the bottom half of the back. This has the following words on it: 'Price of the Skirving Burns. - The Glasgow Herald announces that the price paid for the Skirving drawing of Burns , which has been acquired for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, was £500'.

A rectangular white piece of paper is pasted on to the vellum at the bottom. This says 'Burns (Robert) Silhouette Portait of Robert Burns, taken by Miers of the Strand in 1787 and given by the Bard to John Cotterell, beneath, in contemporary hand, is written Mr. Burns, Kilmarnock, 1787, in rosewood frame'. Someone has crossed through in black pen the following printed words 'Exhibited at the Burns Centenary celebration at Ayr. An engraving of the silhouette is given in Hogg's Edition of Burns' works'. Why this is crossed through is not obvious. This centenary celebration was held in 1859, 100 years after Burns' birth on 25 January 1759.

Additional description

The frame measures 189 mm x 169 mm at its outer edges. It is 420 mm wide. The silhouette measures 830 x 100 mm.

Features

On the pastedown on the reverse of the silhouette:

1) At the top: 'John Cotterell' in black ink in an 18th century hand.
2) 'Bard of Scotland' in black ink in an 19th century hand. Followed by the word underneath '- led -' possibly in the same hand. Some of the incription has faded.
3) In the middle, partly obscured, in black ink in a 19th or early 20th century hand 'This portrait is one of only ..., authentic portraits of ..., (See Dictionary of Nat. Vol 3 page 436'.

Biography or history

Robert Burns (1759-1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist born in Alloway. He wrote hundreds of poems and songs in his lifetime, and is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. John Miers (1756-1821) painter of silhouettes was born in Leeds. He set up business in Lowerhead Row in Leeds. Lowerhead Row stetched from New Briggate to Vicar Lane. He moved to Edinburgh before going south and establishing a workshop at 111 The Strand, London.

Provenance

The Scottish Exhibition of Natural History, Art and Industry was held at Kelvingrove between 3 May and 4 November 1911. The item is listed on page 187 of the exhibition catalgoue as item 233. Francis Augustin Wellesley (c.1866-c.1926) was a Justice of the Peace who lived at Honeypots, Westfield Common, near Woking, Surrey. He was a collector of porcelain, pottery, glass and furniture. Sotheby's sold much of his collection on 19 Feb 1932.
The silhouette was gifted to the Brotherton Library by Dorothy Una Ratcliffe in 1959.

Access and usage

Access

This material is not subject to restrictions under Data Protection or other relevant legislation that might limit access. However, other protections, such as donor conditions or conservation considerations, may still apply where advised.

Material in this collection may be unavailable on conservation grounds. Access is at the discretion of the Conservation Officer.