Loading

Robert Burns

Alexander Nasmyth1828

National Galleries Scotland: Portrait

National Galleries Scotland: Portrait
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Artist Alexander Nasmyth painted this long after his friend's death, basing the image on his well-known head and shoulders portrait of Burns. In this idealised scene he has placed the poet in front of the Auld Brig o' Doon at Alloway in Ayrshire, close to where Burns grew up. In Burns's poem 'Tam o' Shanter' of 1790, Tam's brave grey mare Maggie must reach this bridge and cross the running stream to evade the witches and warlocks pursuing her drunken master. It is said that Nasmyth conceived of this particular pose during a walk out from Edinburgh to Roslin early one morning, when he sketched Burns while the latter was admiring the beauty of the scene. Despite its modest size, this painting became the inspiration for many statues of the poet around the world.

Show lessRead more
National Galleries Scotland: Portrait

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Interested in Visual arts?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites