Robert Brough

Robert Brough was the illegitimate son of a maid. He was brought up by his maternal uncle, who lived on the outskirts of Aberdeen. There his neighbour was Sir George Reid, who was Scotland's best-known portrait painter. Reid spotted Brough's prodigious artistic talent and encouraged him to enter the Royal Scottish Academy Schools in Edinburgh. After studying there and later in Paris, Brough spent three years painting portraits of the wealthiest members of Aberdeen society. He developed a particularly close relationship with the Crombie family, whose wealth had been founded on the production of woollen cloth. Theodore Crombie (1845-1922) was one of four sons running the company, but also had a keen interest in the arts. He commissioned Brough to paint all four of his children; Theodora (b. 1882) Adrian (b. 1884), Alice (b. 1885) and Kathleen (b. 1892).

In 1897 Robert Brough moved to London where he became neighbour and friend to John Singer Sargent. Sargent's portraits - such as that of Dolly's aunt Minna Crombie (cat. no.47) are bold and daring. From Sargent Brough adopted theatrical poses, dramatic lighting and flamboyant brushstrokes. Yet this portrait suggests that, even before his move to London, Brough was aware of Sargent's work, since all of these qualities are exhibited in this daring work which dates from one year earlier.

Brough had become a popular and sought-after artist when in 1905, at the age of thirty-three, he sustained severe injuries in a railway crash near Sheffield. Sargent rushed to his bedside and called for the best medical help, but Brough's burns were extensive and in Sargent's arms, a few days later, he died. The death of Robert Brough shocked the nation and memorial services were held in both London and Aberdeen. Undoubtedly his tragically early death had deprived Scotland of a talented artist whose future might have held great promise.