George Washington Brownlow (British, 1835-1876)

Lot description

George Washington Brownlow (British, 1835-1876) Murdoch Instructing Burns signed lower right 'G. W. Brownlow' oil on canvas 46 x 66cm Provenance: Acquired circa 1920 by the grandfather of the present vendor, Thence by descent Exhibited: Probably, The Royal Scottish Academy, 1859, No. 84 In 1859, the centenary of Robert Burns' birth, Brownlow exhibited five works at the Royal Scottish Academy including, 'The abode of the poor scholar at Alloway, Ayrshire - John Murdoch instructing Robert Burns in his letters'. Another version of this composition, of identical proportions, exists in the collection of the Dumfries Museum. However, the lack of finish, colour and detail in the Dumfries work indicate that it is very likely to be a preparatory study towards the present painting and that the present oil is the picture that Brownlow exhibited at the RSA in 1859. Indeed, critics of the time noted that the exhibited work was 'good in colour' and the additional details added in the present lot, such as Murdoch's glasses, the legible writing to the slate, detail to the globe and scattered paper on the floor, are all indicative of it being the artist's finished composition. Burns' father is recorded as having engaged Murdoch in 1765 to teach the children of Alloway. The picture demonstrates Brownlow's particular concern for the poor and the education of children - subjects he often painted. The inscription to the slate reads: "Robert Burns is my name Scotland is my nation Alloway is my dwelling place Heaven my expectation".