The Campbells of Strachur

Given the limitations of cut paper portraiture, it is always amazing how much fashion detail and movement that Augustin Edouart was able to capture in his figure studies. Cut in Edinburgh in 1831, this conversation piece shows Mrs Campbell interrupting her husband’s reading to pass him a newly-arrived letter. She wears an ankle-length dress with Donna Maria sleeves, her hair in an Apollo knot secured with a large comb. Mr Campbell has a good head of curls and wears a frock-coat and black stock.

The cut silhouettes are laid on a sepia watercolour wash background showing a draped view of a loch with distant hills. Signed bottom left ‘Augn Edouart, fecit, 1831′, the silhouette resides in the original bird’s eye maple veneer frame (small loss of veneer to one corner) with a now tarnished gilt slip. Edouart was fussy about how his work was presented so much so that he always travelled with a supply of his preferred maple frames. The sitters’ names are inscribed on the reverse of the silhouette and the artist’s trade label is affixed to the backing board.

The Campbells of Strachur are considered to be the oldest branch of the Clan Campbell. Their family seat was Strachur House situated on the eastern coast of Loch Fyne.

Upon claiming asylum in Britain, Augustin Edouart (1789-1861) set himself up as a dealer in French and fancy goods in Cheltenham. Unfortunately the enterprise failed in 1826 so he needed to find an alternative career. Quite by chance he discovered, when challenged at a dinner-party, that he had an aptitude for cutting likenesses; this then led to a successful career. Edouart toured extensively throughout the British Isles for several years cutting many thousands of profiles including well-known figures of the day – authors, musicians, politicians and royalty amongst them. In 1839 he set sail for America where he toured successfully for a decade before opting to retire to his native France. He nearly didn’t make it though as his ship was caught up in a storm off Guernsey. Fortunately the passengers were all rescued but Edouart lost virtually the whole of his precious archive of work and the will to continue to work commercially thereafter.