Two Ramsay portraits

This delightful portrait was acquired by the National Gallery of Scotland. It’s of Katherine Hall of Dunglas, and was painted in 1736, just before Allan Ramsay travelled to Rome to study the history of art. Now cleaned, its rosy colours contrast with Ann Ramsay’s darker image. Like other early portraits by Ramsay, both girls are shown in the same dress that can be seen in many of his paintings. As a journeyman artist, he would travel with prepared canvases, and simply add the sitter’s head to the bust. Ann’s portrait was painted prior to her marriage to Robert Balfour in 1736, so about the same time as Katherine’s. A good clean might transform her complexion!