Burns (Robert).- Portrait of a young man writing in a journal, believed to be Robert Burns, oil on panel, unsigned, in a later frame (a little chipped), image 220 x 175mm., [1780s].

⁂ A portrait of a young man, believed to be the poet Robert Burns, and as such would be the earliest of the very few known lifetime portraits of Burns.

This portrait bears some similarities to the known lifetime portraits of Burns and is also reminiscent of Allan Cunningham's description of the young Burns: "his forehead was broad and clear, shaded by raven locks inclining to curl... his nose was short rather than long; his mouth, firm and manly.. a dimple, a small one, on his chin. His eyes were large, dark, and lustrous..."

Formerly in the collection of noted physician and philanthropist Dr. Benjamin Janney Rudderow (1852-1917), a note of provenance by his son, the Rev. Benjamin Janney Rudderow, Vicar of Trinity Memorial Church in Philadelphia from 1923-1961 is attached to the verso: "This is a Portrait of Robert Burns, the Scottish poet. It was done by his friend, an artist. One night, when Burns and he were at an inn and had taken too much to go home, they had to stay the night. In the morning, having nothing to pay, the artist asked Mr. MacDuff if he would accept a painting of Burns for the bill. MacDuff accepted and this painting was handed down thru his family for some generations. One day, in the spring of about 1898, or so, I was with my father, Dr. B.J. Rudderow and driving his Hackney "Larry Cane", while he called professionally on the then Mr. MacDuff on Summer St., in Phila. Mr. MacDuff gave the picture to Dad in lieu of a bill or maybe it was a case of a "Grateful Patient". Anyhow, Mother had it framed and it has hung in our living rooms for all the years since. B. Janney Rudderow, Nov 7, 1964"