.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Allan Ramsay painted this dashing portrait of Abercrombie during a brief trip back to his native Scotland during the first six months of 1754. Born in Edinburgh, Ramsay had travelled south where he had enjoyed a highly successful career since 1738 as the leading British portrait painter in London, while continuing to maintain his connections in Scotland. This portrait exhibits the artist’s characteristic ‘strong likeness firm in drawing’ so admired by George Vertue but also a ‘new and lively naturalism’, which he was developing in the early 1750s (A. Smart, op. cit., p. 8). Ramsay’s portrait makes a splendid feature of the handsome uniform of the 1st Foot, the scarlet coat with dark blue facings and gold lace, displaying the colors of the Royal Livery. A bright, exquisite Scottish light permeates the portrait, providing a solid three-dimensionality to the sitter and illuminating his gaze, which appears keen and intelligent. The format of the painted or feigned oval for half-length portraits was a favorite of artist, who used it again for his portraits of the philosopher, David Hume, and the Royal-Navy officer, Sir Peter Halkett, 2nd Baronet, painted that same year (A. Smart, op. cit., nos. 278 and 234, respectively).
John Abercrombie was an officer in the 1st Regiment of Foot, the oldest and one of the most distinguished regiments of the British Army, today known as the Royal Scots. He had begun his career in 1741 as an Ensign in another Lowland regiment, the 25th Foot, later the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, and a year later he was promoted to Second Lieutenant. In 1743 Abercrombie transferred to Hope’s 60th Foot and by 1744 he had been promoted to Lieutenant. He exchanged out of the 60th Foot in 1746 before it was disbanded at the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and into the 1st Battalion of the 1st Foot. In February 1757, he was promoted Captain-Lieutenant of the 1st Battalion before being made Captain of his own company in the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Foot a mere three months later in May 1757. The following year, Captain Abercrombie died in North America, where the 2nd Battalion was stationed during the Seven Year’s War (1757-1763).
John Abercrombie was an officer in the 1st Regiment of Foot, the oldest and one of the most distinguished regiments of the British Army, today known as the Royal Scots. He had begun his career in 1741 as an Ensign in another Lowland regiment, the 25th Foot, later the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, and a year later he was promoted to Second Lieutenant. In 1743 Abercrombie transferred to Hope’s 60th Foot and by 1744 he had been promoted to Lieutenant. He exchanged out of the 60th Foot in 1746 before it was disbanded at the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and into the 1st Battalion of the 1st Foot. In February 1757, he was promoted Captain-Lieutenant of the 1st Battalion before being made Captain of his own company in the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Foot a mere three months later in May 1757. The following year, Captain Abercrombie died in North America, where the 2nd Battalion was stationed during the Seven Year’s War (1757-1763).