Portrait of Margaret Malcolm
- Artist: Henry Raeburn
- Date: around 1795-1803
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "Portrait of Margaret Malcolm" by Henry Raeburn. Painted around 1795‑1803 in oil on canvas, it captures a quiet moment of the early Georgian era. Margaret Pasley, born in 1742, married George Malcolm when she was nineteen, and together they raised seventeen children. Four of their ten sons earned knighthoods, including Admiral Sir Pultney, who served as Napoleon’s warden during his exile on St. Helena. In the portrait Margaret is depicted wearing a dormeuse—a French night cap that was the height of fashion in the 1770s. The bonnet’s soft folds and the sitter’s serene expression give the work an intimate, almost domestic feel, contrasting the grandeur that often accompanies Raeburn’s portraits. Notice the subtle play of light across her face, revealing the artist’s deft handling of shadow and texture. The composition balances dignity with approachability, making this painting a compelling snapshot of 18th‑century Scottish society.
See it in person
Portrait of Margaret Malcolm hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
