Major William Scott

An old backing label (sadly now mislaid but shown below) identified the sitter in this silhouette as Major William Scott of the Atholl Highlanders in Ireland 1783. It also gave his death as Dundee 1830.

Raised in Perthshire in 1777 by the 4th Duke of Atholl, the Atholl (or Murray’s) Highlanders was a private regiment. Their first years were spent in Ireland before being disbanded in 1783. It was not reformed until 1839. The sitter may be the same Major William Scott who later served with the 4th Battalion Forfarshire Volunteers. Further research suggests this is likely to be the William Scott born to Peter Patrick and Isabella Scott in Dundee in 1755. Aged 40, he married Isabella Carnegie; the couple had no children. Scott died in Dundee in December 1830 at the age of 75.

The silhouette is backed inside with the artist’s trade label with the address No. 33 Capel Street, Dublin. Thomason was working from this address during 1792/3 so Scott would have been about 37 years old at the time. This fits with a date inscribed on the trade label. There is also an illegible word inscribed on the label – Jahsen perhaps? – as well as a partial address in pencil – 74 ?? Rd.

Painted on plaster, the silhouette is set in a pressed brass frame. The reverse has been re-backed concealing the artist’s label though this could be removed if desired.

Thomason worked in the Midlands before going to Dublin in 1792 where he was advertising ‘Most Striking Likenesses in Miniature Profile’. He was in Aberdeen in 1794 and Hull in 1796 when he advertised for ‘all persons who never could procure a good likeness before, to have one more trial’ when the artist promised ‘the fullest satisfaction, or will take nothing for his trouble’.

** Please note that the inscribed backing paper shown below has been mislaid by the vendor and so does not come with the silhouette. **