{"product_id":"18th-century-portrait-of-dr-thomas-wise-of-hillbank-forfarshire-scotland","title":"18th century portrait of Dr Thomas Wise of Hillbank, Forfarshire, Scotland","description":"\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eA fine late 18th century Scottish oil on canvas portrait, circa 1795, traditionally identified as \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eDr Thomas Wise (1755–1819) of Hillbank, Dundee\u003c\/span\u003e, physician and member of a prominent Scottish family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eWise is depicted seated three-quarter length against a dark background, wearing a brown double-breasted coat and waistcoat with a white stock. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThomas was the eldest son of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eDavid Wise of Lunan, Forfarshire\u003c\/span\u003e, and Grizel Henderson. The Wise family had longstanding connections with Dundee and the surrounding area. His father David was described as an ingenious mechanician and became involved in the developing textile industry, establishing a cotton-spinning manufactory near what subsequently became Cotton Road.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThomas became a physician and spent a period in \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eJamaica\u003c\/span\u003e, where family histories record that he acquired the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eClaremont estate in the parish of Hanover\u003c\/span\u003e. On returning to Scotland he purchased \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eHillbank\u003c\/span\u003e, an estate immediately north of Dundee and close to his father’s cotton works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIn \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e1795\u003c\/span\u003e, the approximate date of the present portrait, Wise married \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eAnne Chalmers\u003c\/span\u003e, second daughter of William Chalmers of Glenericht, Perthshire. The Chalmers family was prominent in Dundee civic life, William Chalmers having served for many years as Town Clerk of Dundee. Thomas and Anne subsequently had six children between 1796 and 1806.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eHillbank House appears on early maps of Dundee standing on an eminence amongst open fields, with a decorative approach leading towards the house. As Dundee expanded during the 19th century, the estate was gradually absorbed into the city, although its history remains preserved in local street names. \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eHillbank Road\u003c\/span\u003e perpetuates the name of the former estate, while \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eJamaica Street\u003c\/span\u003e, laid out following the development of part of Hillbank, was reportedly named in remembrance of Wise’s earlier life in Jamaica.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe following generation of the Wise family proved particularly interesting. Several of Thomas’s sons pursued careers in British India. His son \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eDr Thomas Alexander Wise (1802–1889)\u003c\/span\u003e followed his father into medicine and served for many years with the Honourable East India Company. He held appointments at various stations in India and became Principal of both Hooghly and Dacca Colleges. A physician, scholar, author and collector, he subsequently wrote extensively on Indian medicine and related subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnother son, \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003ePatrick Wise\u003c\/span\u003e, became a magistrate in Bengal, while \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eCaptain William Wise\u003c\/span\u003e succeeded his father at Hillbank and also served with the East India Company. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eOf particular notes was that \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eWise also sat for a different portrait painted by Sir Henry Raeburn\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eStylistically, the portrait sits comfortably within the Scottish portrait tradition of the closing years of the 18th century, with its dark background, restrained composition and naturalistic treatment of the sitter. In the absence of documentary evidence identifying the painter, we have deliberately catalogued the work conservatively as \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eScottish School.   It remains unattributed but further research may lead to an identified artist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe portrait is presented in its impressive \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eperiod gilt composition frame\u003c\/span\u003e, richly decorated with scrolling foliage, acanthus and floral ornament. Both the painting and frame have recently undergone\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e restoration and conservation\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Previously in a private collection, Bath, Somerset.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasuring:    (Frame - 102 cm x 89 cm (Canvas - 77 cm x 63 cm)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScottish school, c. 1795 \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rob Hall Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48100737908901,"sku":null,"price":2750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1151\/3980\/files\/IMG_8496_7d253168-3b97-48fd-8045-76e4aaebba89.jpg?v=1786188170","url":"https:\/\/robhallantiques.com\/products\/18th-century-portrait-of-dr-thomas-wise-of-hillbank-forfarshire-scotland","provider":"Rob Hall Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}