Dinner at Haddo House, 1884
Dinner at Haddo House, 1884
by Alfred Edward Emslie
oil on canvas, 1884
14 1/4 in. x 22 3/4 in. (362 mm x 578 mm)
Given by Lady Marjorie Adeline Sinclair Pentland (née Gordon), 1953
Primary Collection
NPG 3845
Sittersback to top
- John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair (1847-1934), Statesman. Sitter in 23 portraits. Identify
- Ishbel Maria (née Marjoribanks), Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair (1857-1939), Promoter and patron of social service enterprises. Sitter in 17 portraits. Identify
- Andrew Cant, Piper. Sitter in 1 portrait. Identify
- Henry Drummond (1851-1897), Theological writer. Sitter in 2 portraits. Identify
- Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin (1849-1917), Politician and viceroy of India. Sitter in 7 portraits.
- Constance Mary Bruce (née Carnegie), Countess of Elgin (1851-1909), Wife of 9th Earl of Elgin; daughter of 9th Earl of Southesk. Sitter in 1 portrait. Identify
- Peter Esslemont (1834-1894), Merchant and Liberal politician; MP for East Aberdeenshire. Sitter in 1 portrait.
- Robert Farquharson (1836-1918), Surgeon, politician and landowner. Sitter in 4 portraits.
- Catherine Gladstone (née Glynne) (1812-1900), Philanthropist; wife of William Ewart Gladstone. Sitter in 47 portraits. Identify
- Helen Gladstone (1849-1925), Educationist; daughter of William Ewart Gladstone. Sitter in 5 portraits.
- William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), Prime Minister and writer; Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Sitter associated with 324 portraits. Identify
- Lady Mary Glyn (née Campbell) (1859-1947), 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 7 portraits. Identify
- Maybird Hogg. Sitter in 1 portrait. Identify
- Kate Harriet (née Burfield), Lady Lindsay (died 1937), Second wife of Sir Coutts Lindsay, 2nd Bt; daughter of William Burfield. Sitter in 4 portraits. Identify
- Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929), Prime Minister and author; ex-officio Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Sitter in 24 portraits. Identify
- Hannah Primrose (née de Rothschild), Countess of Rosebery (1851-1890), Wife of 5th Earl of Rosebery. Sitter in 1 portrait. Identify
- George Washburn Smalley (1833-1916), Journalist. Sitter in 1 portrait.
- John Tulloch (1823-1886), Church of Scotland minister and Principal of St Andrews University. Sitter in 3 portraits. Identify
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 Read entry
One of the most atmospheric of the group portraits in the Gallery's collection is this record of a dinner party of Liberal grandees at Haddo House in Aberdeenshire. In 1884, according to We Twa, the reminiscences of Lord and Lady Aberdeen, 'a long-cherished desire was fulfilled, when Mr and Mrs Gladstone agreed to include Haddo House in the programme of their autumn visit to Scotland, thus revisiting a house full of associations for Mr Gladstone connected with his friend and Chief of early days of his political career'. Alfred Emslie was obviously asked to commemorate the event, although he is said to have had no canvas with him, so took down an old picture and painted this one on top. It shows Lady Aberdeen seated at the head of the table with her back to the artist and in conversation with Gladstone to her right. On her left is Lord Rosebery, who looks totally indifferent to the conversation of his neighbour, Lady Harriet Lindsay.
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 719
Placesback to top
- Place portrayed: United Kingdom: Scotland, Aberdeenshire (Haddo House, Tarves, Aberdeenshire)
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1884back to top
Current affairs
The Third Reform Act further reduces the financial threshold for voters, extending the franchise to all householders in the counties, achieving uniformity with those in the boroughs, and effectively doubling the electorate from 2.5 million to just under 5 million.Foundation of the socialist group, the Fabian Society. The group quickly grows in size, including members Eleanor Marx, George Bernard Shaw and Beatrice Webb.
Art and science
Under the editorship of James Murray, the Oxford English Dictionary begins publication, with the tenth and final volume appearing 1928. The idea for a historical dictionary of the English language had been conceived by members of the Philological Society in 1857, including Frederick Furnivall, and some 800 voluntary readers contributed to the immense project.International
Germany annexes Southwest Africa, Togoland, the Cameroons, and Tanganyike, and launches the scramble for Africa as it becomes the third largest colonial power in the continent. Bismarck also invites the European powers to a West Africa conference in Berlin, which, carving up the map of Africa between them, regulates colonial practice, frees trade and prohibits slavery, formally marking the start of the New Imperialism which would flourish until World War I.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.