Hunterian Art Gallery exhibition tells story of Allan Ramsay

Elegant and beautiful paintings by one of Britain's finest portraitists are at the heart of a new exhibition opening at the Hunterian Art Gallery today. Allan Ramsay: Portraits of the Enlightenment will cast new light on the work of Allan Ramsay (1713-1784), to mark the tercentenary of his birth. His elegant style, particularly in his portraits of women, sets him apart from other British portraitists of the time. His paintings reflected his wider engagement in the issues of his day, from politics to matters of taste, archaeology and literature. The exhibition will feature a selection of Ramsay's best works from across his 30 years as a painter, as well as his books, pamphlets and other written material revealing his fascinating place in the intellectual and cultural life of the mid-eighteenth century. It will feature key loans from public and private collections across the UK, including some portraits never shown in Scotland before. The exhibition and accompanying publication are drawn from significant new research examining the context in which Ramsay painted his most important portraits.