An honest, sonsie face: The many portraits of Robert Burns
25 January 2019
This time of year is synonymous with haggis, poetry and the noble face of Rabbie Burns, as people across the globe celebrate the life and works of the Scottish bard. Here are the rare portraits painted during his lifetime, and the artworks they continue to inspire over 200 years later.
The best known and most produced image of Robert Burns was painted by the artist Alexander Nasmyth. He painted several portraits where the poet is shown in profile, looking off to his right and is fashionably dressed against a rural landscape, evoking his upbringing in Ayrshire.
The artwork was commissioned by publisher William Creech when Burns first visited Edinburgh in 1786. It was for a new edition of Burns' poems titled Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect.
Portraits of the bard created by Nasmyth can be seen in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Musuem and Art Gallery, Edinburgh’s Scottish National Portrait Gallery and London’s National Portrait Gallery.
Other artists would use Nasmyth's portraits of Burns as inspiration, creating their own takes on the classic portrait.
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Art UK is a registered charity whose mission is to open up public collections for enjoyment, learning and research.
Away from portraits artists also painted works that captured Burns as a poet. Thomas Faed painted him with Highland Mary, the protagonist of Burn's song, Highland Mary, from 1792.
James Nasmyth (using a sketch by his father, Alexander Nasmyth) shows Burns sat writing, in the grounds of Rosslyn Castle and an unknown artist depicted him composing one of his most famous works, The Cotter's Saturday Night.
More Burns from Art UK
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Robert Burns' poem illustrated by Alexander Goudie.
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How Burns was memorialised by the sculptor John Flaxman.
Robert Burns has also been immortalised in statues, with over 60 likenesses of the bard across the globe. This places him third (after Christopher Columbus and Queen Victoria) for the most statues dedicated to a non-religious figure.
His likeness, based on the Nasmyth portrait has also appeared on murals, street art, stamps and, in 2017 appeared on the Scottish ten pound note. So we can see his face all year round.
Related links
More Burns on the 大象传媒
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Scottish stars recite Burns
Robert Carlyle, Alan Cumming, Laura Fraser and more read poems by Burns.
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Singing the bard's praises
Scottish pop legend Eddi Reader on her love for the Scottish poet.
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In Tune
Featuring special Burns Night guests, including folk collective Band of Burns.
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3D Robert Burns
A 3D animation of Robert Burns reciting one of his most famous poems.
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