ticketsMember | Make a donation

William Fraser of Reelig (1784–1835)

Sir Henry Raeburn British, Scottish
1801
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 957
In late March and early April 1801, the seventeen-year old son of Edward Satchwell Fraser and Jane Fraser of Reelig traveled to Edinburgh from his family home in Inverness-shire en route to London. It was the first of William Fraser’s numerous visits to the studio of Sir Henry Raeburn, where this dashing portrait was painted. The finished portrait was dispatched to the family dining room in northern Scotland while its sitter was relocated to Delhi as a colonial servant of the East India Company. William fell under the Mughal spell, fathering numerous children from his harem of five or six Muslim and Hindu wives. He never returned to Scotland, for he was assassinated while commissioner of Delhi in 1835.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: William Fraser of Reelig (1784–1835)
  • Artist: Sir Henry Raeburn (British, Stockbridge, Scotland 1756–1823 Edinburgh, Scotland)
  • Date: 1801
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 29 1/2 x 24 1/2 in. (74.9 x 62.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
  • Object Number: 1975.1.234
  • Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
James Johnston of Straiton (died 1841), Sir Henry Raeburn British, Scottish, Oil on canvas
James Johnston of Straiton (died 1841)
Sir Henry Raeburn
Janet Law, Sir Henry Raeburn British, Scottish, Oil on canvas
Janet Law
Sir Henry Raeburn
John Gray (1731–1811) of Newholm, Sir Henry Raeburn British, Scottish, Oil on canvas
John Gray (1731–1811) of Newholm
Sir Henry Raeburn
The Drummond Children, Sir Henry Raeburn British, Scottish, Oil on canvas
The Drummond Children
Sir Henry Raeburn
ca. 1808–9
William Forsyth (1749–1814), Sir Henry Raeburn British, Scottish, Oil on canvas
William Forsyth (1749–1814)
Sir Henry Raeburn
ca. 1800

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.