Dinner at Haddo House, 1884

1 portrait

by Alfred Edward Emslie
oil on canvas, 1884
14 1/4 in. x 22 3/4 in. (362 mm x 578 mm)
Given by Marjorie Adeline Sinclair (née Gordon), Lady Pentland, 1953
Primary Collection
NPG 3845

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Artistback to top

Alfred Edward Emslie (1848-1918). Artist of 2 portraits.

Sittersback to top

John Campbell Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair (1847-1934), Statesman. Sitter in 18 portraits.
Dame Ishbel Maria (née Marjoribanks), Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair (1857-1939), Promoter and patron of social service enterprises. Sitter in 11 portraits.
Andrew Cant, Piper. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Henry Drummond (1851-1897), Theological writer. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin (1849-1917), Politician and viceroy of India. Sitter in 4 portraits.
Constance Mary Bruce (née Carnegie), Countess of Elgin (died 1909), Wife of 9th Earl of Elgin; daughter of 9th Earl of Southesk. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Peter Esslemont, Politician and merchant. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Robert Farquharson (1836-1918), Surgeon, politician and landowner. Sitter in 3 portraits.
Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) (1812-1900), Philanthropist and wife of William Ewart Gladstone. Sitter associated with 41 portraits.
Helen Gladstone (1849-1925), Educationist; daughter of William Ewart Gladstone. Sitter in 5 portraits.
William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), Prime Minister and writer. Sitter associated with 266 portraits.
Lady Mary Glyn (née Campbell) (died 1947), Wife of Hon. Edward Carr Glyn; daughter of 8th Duke of Argyll. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Edward Carr Glyn (1843-1928), Bishop of Peterborough. Sitter in 5 portraits.
Maybird Hogg. Sitter in 1 portrait.
Lady Kate Harriet Lindsay, Wife of Sir Coutts Lindsay, 2nd Bt; daughter of William Burfield. Sitter in 4 portraits.
Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929), Prime Minister. Sitter in 19 portraits.
Hannah, Countess of Rosebery (died 1890), Wife of 5th Earl of Rosebery. Sitter in 1 portrait.
George Washburn Smalley (1833-1916), American journalist. Sitter in 1 portrait.
John Tulloch (1823-1886), Church of Scotland minister and Principal of St Andrews University. Sitter in 3 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This picture shows a scene in the dining-room of the Scottish home of the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen. Prominent among the guests at the end of the table, and to the right of Lady Aberdeen, is the veteran statesman and then Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone, who was on a tour of Scotland. To the left of Lady Aberdeen is Lord Rosebery, who succeeded Gladstone as Prime Minister. Other guests include Mrs Gladstone and Lady Rosebery, Professor Henry Drummond, the Earl and Countess of Elgin, Robert Farquharson MP, and G.W. Smalley. It was a custom at Haddo for guests to be regaled with bagpipe music, the piper seen here was Andrew Cant. The picture not only records an important occasion, but is a charming view of social life in the mid-1880s.

Linked publicationsback to top

Victorian Portraits Resource Pack, p. 33
Funnell, Peter, Victorian Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery Collection, 1996, p. 33
Gibson, Robin, Treasures from the National Portrait Gallery, 1996, p. 99
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 154
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 154
Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 719