The Meeting of Burns and Captain Francis Grose, by Robert Lauder

Key details

Object number: 3.8036
Date: 1849 to 1850
On display: Yes
Maker: Lauder, Robert Scott (Artist)

Description

Oil on canvas painting of the meeting of Robert Burns and Francis Grose in 1789. Painting depicts Burns standing behind a seated Francis Grose surrounded by armor, antiquities and other historical items. To centre left of picture two housemaids are seen polishing armor and looking towards Burns. In an ornate giltwood frame with carved floral and foliage design.

This painting in oils, which depicts the meeting of Burns and publisher Captain Francis Grose in 1789, was executed by Robert Scott Lauder RA. Captain Grose (1731-1791) was an historian who met Burns at Friars Carse near Ellisland while gathering material for a book The antiquities of Scotland. Burns suggested that Alloway Kirk would be a worthy subject and Grose agreed on condition that Burns provide a suitable tale to accompany the engraving. This became the famous tale of Tam O' Shanter centered on witchcraft in the Kirk.

This study in oils is probably a preparatory work for the more finished and larger painting, now in the Dick Institiute in Kilmarnock, which was exhibited at the British Institution in 1849.

Object information

Material

Measurements

Depth: 8(cm)
Height: 62.8(cm)
Width: 83(cm)

Themes

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