78 - Alexander Nasmyth (Scottish, 1758-1840) James Pillans (1778-1864) and his two sisters, in a landscape with a dog, mountains beyond inscribed on the label on the reverse of the stretcher oil on canvas Unframed: 112 x 153 cm. (44 x 60 in.) Framed: 126 x 167 cm. (49 1/2 x 65 3/4 in.) Probably commissioned by the father of the sitters, James Pillans (b.1745); Thence by descent to his son, James Pillans (1778-1864); The collection of Lord Herschell; Sale; Christie’s, London, 20 November 1964, lot 125 (bought by 'Bryant' for 750 gns); With Frank T. Sabin, London, by 1967; Purchased by the current owner, late 1960s/1970s. The Property of a Gentleman Literature: 'Apollo Magazine', December 1967, p. 1vii, illustrated J.C.B. Cooksey, Alexander Nasmyth H.R.S.A. 1758-1840, vol. I, Kranj 1991, p. 75, no. N46A. A pivotal figure in the history of Scottish painting, Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840) began his career in London under the tutelage of the renowned portrait artist Allan Ramsay. Nasmyth returned to his native Edinburgh and produced portraits in the style of his teacher, though he soon began to specialize in conversation pieces for a variety of aristocratic clients. These works, a staple of eighteenth-century British painting that blends group portraiture with evocative landscapes and intimate domestic settings, afforded Nasmyth great favour with his patrons. A decisive trip to Rome in 1782 exposed the budding artist to the practice of landscape painting and the idyllic countryside views of Claude Lorrain. Nasmyth returned to Edinburgh three years later and continued his practice of conversation portraiture, but he suddenly and permanently abandoned the genre in 1792 in favour of landscapes. This abrupt shift, as Nasmyth’s son remarked, stemmed from the artist’s 'frank opinions on political subjects' and strong commitment to liberal and reformist views.1 This alienated Nasmyth from many of his elite clients, who withdrew their patronage in light of his increasingly negative attitudes towards the aristocracy and the arts that supported their image. Nasmyth would spend the rest of his career as a landscape artist, successfully combining a meticulous observation of nature with the classical language and arcadian mood of Lorrain. He is considered the founding father of Scottish landscape painting and a principal influence on future generations of Scottish artists, including his own children. His works can be found in the Ashmolean Museum, the Yale Center for British Art, and other leading institutions around the world. The present painting, one of Nasmyth’s finest conversation pieces, depicts James Pillans (1778-1864) and his two elder sisters. Pillans was an advocate for educational reform in Scotland and, like Nasmyth, a supporter of liberal politics. The boy’s youthful appearance tentatively dates the painting to the late 1780s, a period from which few of Nasmyth’s works survive.2 A similar conversation piece by Nasmyth can be found in the National Galleries of Scotland (inv. no. PG 2303).3 References: 1 D. MacMillan, Painting in Scotland: The Golden Age, p. 143 2 D. MacMillan, Painting in Scotland: The Golden Age, p. 143. 3 https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/8210