George Buchanan
(1506-1582), Historian and scholarSitter associated with 27 portraits
Educated at the Universities of St Andrews and Paris, Buchanan taught in Paris until his return to Scotland in 1536. Condemned as a heretic, he was imprisoned in the castle of St Andrews before escaping to France in 1539. He held professorships at Bordeaux and Paris, and later at Coimbra, Portugal, where he was put on trial for heresy in 1550-01. He returned to Scotland in 1561 and tutored Mary, Queen of Scots. Initially loyal to the Queen, he later testified against her at her trial for the assassination of her husband, Lord Darnley. He became principal of St Leonard's College in St Andrews in 1566. His most substantial work, Rerum Scoticarum Historia, a history of Scotland, was published in 1582.
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly mid 18th century
NPG D25520
by Jacobus Houbraken, after Frans Pourbus
line engraving, published 1742
NPG D25503
by Jacobus Houbraken, after Frans Pourbus
line engraving, published 1742
NPG D32272
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton, after Frans Pourbus
line engraving, published 1742 (1741)
NPG D42927
by Edward Scriven
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D25508
after Frans Pourbus
line engraving, possibly early 19th century
NPG D25514
by Edward Scriven, after Frans Pourbus
stipple engraving, 1826 or after
NPG D32273
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.