David Paton

Timothy Clowes (b. 1932),

Thence by descent to the present owner

Paton was born in Scotland. Save for this, little is known about his early life. However, by the mid 1660s, he was living in London and achieving recognition for his small scale portraits, taken from life, and his copies after the old masters. His preferred media was Indian ink or plumbago (lead point) on vellum.

Amongst his most important patrons was Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart, later Duchess of Lauderdale (1626-1698) who lived at Ham House in Richmond. Ham House, now under the stewardship of the National Trust, still contains an important body of work by Paton.

After accompanying the Countess's youngest son, the Hon. William Tollemache, on a Grand Tour to Italy, by the middle of the 1680s he had returned to Edinburgh, where his portraits continued to be much sought after. 

The present portrait, which is very finely executed, has been dated to circa 1665 on account of the sitter’s dress and hairstyle. 

This intriguing portrait is inscribed verso: John Cunningham of Bar…. Although the final word of this text is sadly illegible, it has been suggested that the sitter maybe John Cunningham (d. 1703), the fourth son of William, 9^th Earl of Glencairn (1610-1664). In 1670, John succeeded his brother, Alexander, as the 11^th Earl. The Cunninghams were Royalists and like Paton, they were of Scottish descent.