Pompeo Batoni – Colonel the Hon. William Gordon, 1765
It’s XVIII century fashion plus Scottish pride. Oh, yeah.
A Gordon,a Gordon, a Gordon BYDAND!
(Ps.Bydand = Scots for “Abide”, motto / warcry of Clan Gordon)
| Artist | Batoni, Pompeo (Italian painter and draftsman, 1708-1787) |
| Title | Colonel the Hon. William Gordon of Fyvie |
| Alternative/previous titles | Colonel the Hon. William Gordon; Colonel William Gordon; Gen. the Hon. John William Gordon. |
| Date | 1766 (dated) |
| Material | oil on canvas |
| Measurements | 258.2 x 186.1 cm |
| Inscription | front ll ‘POMPEJUS BATONI PINXIT/ ROMAE ANNO 1766’, front lr ‘Gen.l The Hon.ble John William Gordon’. |
| Description | William Gordon (1736-1816) is depicted in Rome during his Grand Tour. Although he wears the uniform of the Queen’s Own Royal Highlanders, his tartan has been arranged to look like a stylised Roman toga.While typical of Batoni’s portraits in its general confidence and swagger, this image particularly captures the ideals of the grand tourist abroad. Gordon stands in front of the Colosseum and next to a statue depicting the personification of Rome. During his visit to Rome, James Boswell saw Batoni working on the portrait on 17 April 1765, writing, ‘Yesterday morning saw Batoni draw Gord. Drapery’. |
| Subject | portrait (Gordon, Colonel the Hon. William); townscape; military and war; place (Rome) |
| Collection | National Trust for Scotland (Fyvie Castle) |
