Douglas Baird of Closeburn (1808-1854)
Sir Daniel Macnee (Fintry 1806 - Edinburgh 1882)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1855
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1275 x 1030 mm
Order this imageCollection
Florence Court, County Fermanagh
NT 631085
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Douglas Baird of Closeburn (1808-1854), Sir Daniel Macnee R.S.A (1806 - 1882), 1855. A posthumous three-quarter-length portrait of Douglas Baird, turned to proper right, wearing a brown suit, white shirt and blue necktie, his proper left hand on the left pocket of his waistcoat. Against a landscape background and expansive sky, with flying birds. Douglas Baird acquired the estate of Closeburn, Dumfries and Mansfield, Ayr, from Sir James Stuart-Menteth, in 1852. He married Charlotte Acton, and bore two daughters, one of whom, Charlotte Marion Baird (NT 63107), married in 1869 Lowry Cole (1845-1924),Viscount Cole and later 4th Earl of Enniskillen (Craufurd Tait Ramage, Drumlanrig Castle and The Douglases: with the Early History and Ancient Remains of Durisdeer, Closeburn, and Morton, Dumfries and London 1876, p. 216). A photograph of the present portrait is reproduced in James Baird, The Bairds of Gartsherrie, Some Notices of Their Origin and History, Glasgow 1875 (no. 27, pp. 112-3). The portrait was exhibited at the Exhibition of Portraits on loan in the New Galleries of Art, Corporation Buildings, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, 1868 (no. 69, p. 18, 'Douglas Baird of Closeburn./ Born at Kirkwood, Old Monkland, 1808; died at Closeburn, 1854./ Ironmaster. A partner of Messrs. Wm. Baird & Co./ Painter, Daniel Macness, R.S.A./ Not from life - painted from a bust in 1855.'). Identification kindly provided by Elin Jones.
Provenance
Given to the 6th Earl by Miss Lavinia Baird, his cousin; given to the National Trust by Nancy, Dowager Countess of Enniskillen (1917 – 1998) before her death in August 1997.
Credit line
Florence Court, The Enniskillen Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
Plaque on front: Douglas Baird of Closeburn, sixth son of Alexander Baird of Lockwood. Born 31st March 1808 Died 7th December 1854 MIH p18, given to the 6th Earl by Miss Lavinia Baird, his cousin.
Makers and roles
Sir Daniel Macnee (Fintry 1806 - Edinburgh 1882), artist previously catalogued as by British (English) School, artist