Art Funded by you

Portrait of James Francis Edward Stuart

Cosmo Alexander, c. 1749

Nicknamed ‘The Old Pretender’, James Francis Edward Stuart was son of the deposed king James II and VII. The artist, Cosmo John Alexander, was the youngest member of a dynasty of Catholic painters in Aberdeen. At the time this portrait was painted, Alexander was on exile in Rome following the defeat of the Jacobite army at Culloden. The format of the work, a small-format painting on paper laid on to board, was designed to be concealed. Portraits of this nature were in demand in northern Scotland after the defeat of the uprising, allowing those in the Jacobite community to display their allegiances to the Stuart dynasty discreetly. While replicas of this type of portrait are common, this work is a rare Alexander original.

More information

Title of artwork, date

Portrait of James Francis Edward Stuart, c. 1749

Date supported

2013

Medium and material

Pastel and gouache on paper, laid on board

Dimensions

19.5 x 16 cm

Grant

1000

Total cost

7750

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

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