Portrait of Margaret Murray, Marchesa Accorimboni di Lister

Batoni, Pompeo (Italian painter and draftsman, 1708-1787)

Portrait of Margaret Murray, Marchesa Accorimboni di Lister

Date

1994-07-13

Authors

Batoni, Pompeo (Italian painter and draftsman, 1708-1787)

Citation

Sotheby's, British Pictures 1500-1850, Wed 13 July 1994, p 57, no 60

Description

'The sitter in this painting was the only daughter of William Murray (1679-1758), Laird of Touchadam and Polmaise, and Elizabeth Gibson (born 16th June 1722), only daughter of Alexander Gibson of Pentland. She was born on 26th June 1746 and died in Rome on 11th November 1784. In 1762 she became engaged to James Bruce (1730-1794) who had just returned to Scotland from his travels in Italy where he was painted by Batoni. However the engagement was called off. In 1768 she travelled to Italy with her brother William, visiting Florence and Naples before arriving in Rome. The following year, Margaret Murray married the Marquese Accorimboni who was her music teacher. This portrait of Miss Murray was painted about seven years after her marriage, and is closely comparable to Batoni's portrait of Mrs James Alexander (1777) [see image cgjc0991]. (Sotheby's, 56) This painting is signed by the artist.