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Lot Essay
This portrait, which dates to the late 1780s or early 1790s, is a typical example of Abbott’s military portraiture from that period. Abbott, who regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy, was a renowned portraitist of leading naval figures of the day, including, most famously, Horatio Nelson, whose portrait most recently sold at Christie's, London, 2 December 2025, lot 33. This portrait shares a number of similarities with that of Nelson, namely its composition, the framing of the sitter against a plain background, and in the handling of the sitter’s hair and uniform.
Sir James Campbell was born circa 1765 to Sir James Campbell of Inverneil (1737-1805) and his wife, Jane, daughter of John Campbell of Askomil County, Argyll. His father, who received his knighthood in 1788, was the hereditary usher of the White Rod in the Scottish Parliament (a ceremonial office akin to the Black Rod in England) and MP for Stirling from 1780 to 1789. The sitter had a storied military career – he received a commission as an ensign in the Royal Scots regiment in July 1780. In just over a year he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the 94th regiment, though immediately transferred to the 60th or American regiment, with which he served during the last two campaigns of the American War of Independence. After the Declaration of Peace in 1783, Campbell was once again promoted, this time to Captain of the 71st regiment. In June 1787, Campbell transferred to the 73rd regiment, acting as aide-de-camp for his uncle, Sir Archibald Campbell (1739-1791) in India, where he also served in the 1790, 1791 and 1792 campaigns in the 19th Dragoons under Lord Cornwallis. Campbell returned to England in 1794 and continued to serve in numerous regiments in Ireland and later in the Mediterranean and Sicily. He was married in 1794 to Agnes Margaret, daughter of Dr John Hunter of Leicester Square, Middlesex. He was promoted to Major-General in 1808 and Lieutenant-General in 1813. In 1814, he was ordered to take possession of the Ionian Islands, formerly controlled by the Venetian Republic, but which had been a French enclave since Napoleon’s conquest of Venice in 1797. In 1816, Campbell returned to England once again, after acting as Governor in the Ionian Islands and commanding the British forces there. He was made a Baronet on 3 October 1818 and died in June the following year. His body was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Sir James Campbell was born circa 1765 to Sir James Campbell of Inverneil (1737-1805) and his wife, Jane, daughter of John Campbell of Askomil County, Argyll. His father, who received his knighthood in 1788, was the hereditary usher of the White Rod in the Scottish Parliament (a ceremonial office akin to the Black Rod in England) and MP for Stirling from 1780 to 1789. The sitter had a storied military career – he received a commission as an ensign in the Royal Scots regiment in July 1780. In just over a year he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the 94th regiment, though immediately transferred to the 60th or American regiment, with which he served during the last two campaigns of the American War of Independence. After the Declaration of Peace in 1783, Campbell was once again promoted, this time to Captain of the 71st regiment. In June 1787, Campbell transferred to the 73rd regiment, acting as aide-de-camp for his uncle, Sir Archibald Campbell (1739-1791) in India, where he also served in the 1790, 1791 and 1792 campaigns in the 19th Dragoons under Lord Cornwallis. Campbell returned to England in 1794 and continued to serve in numerous regiments in Ireland and later in the Mediterranean and Sicily. He was married in 1794 to Agnes Margaret, daughter of Dr John Hunter of Leicester Square, Middlesex. He was promoted to Major-General in 1808 and Lieutenant-General in 1813. In 1814, he was ordered to take possession of the Ionian Islands, formerly controlled by the Venetian Republic, but which had been a French enclave since Napoleon’s conquest of Venice in 1797. In 1816, Campbell returned to England once again, after acting as Governor in the Ionian Islands and commanding the British forces there. He was made a Baronet on 3 October 1818 and died in June the following year. His body was buried in Westminster Abbey.