Regent Skene of Rubislaw

Artist John Scougall (Leith, Scotland, 1645 - 1730)

ArtistFormerly attributed to John Alexander (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1686 - c.1766)

Date1706

Mediumoil on canvas

ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings

DimensionsOverall: Height: 76 cm, Width: 63.3 cm
Frame: Height: 87.2 cm, Width: 75 cm

AcquisitionPurchased in 1962.

CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDAG003631

Keywords

About MeThe sitter Regent George Skene of Rubislaw was born in 1666 and was the grand nephew of Provost Skene, (one of the owners of Provost Skene's House). Regent Skene became a Professor of Philosophy at King's College at the age of 20 and married his cousin Catherine Adie, they lived at an old house opposite the college.

Provost Skene never married but had two nephews whom he brought over from Poland. However, they turned out to be dissolute gamblers and Skene disinherited them. Instead, he left the Skene estate, including the house, to the most respectable member of his family, Regent Skene, who succeeded to the Skene estate in 1707.

This portrait of Regent Skene has a certain natural quality to it and a flair in the way in which it shows the Regent's strong personality.

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Regent (his first name) Skene, nephew to the Lord Provost whose house is in the centre of the city, became Professor Philosophy at King's College at the age of twenty