John brown is depicted here at frogmore house in home park, windsor. He was a ghillie (outdoor servant) from balmoral castle in scotland which the queen and prince albert had bought in 1853. After albert’s death the queen developed a close relationship with him, and he was extremely protective of her. Shortly after brown’s death in 1883 the queen wrote in a letter ‘perhaps never in history was there so strong and true an attachment, so warm and loving a friendship between the sovereign and servant…strength of character as well as power of frame – the most fearless uprightness, kindness, sense of justice, honesty, independence and unselfishness combined with a tender, warm heart…the most remarkable of men’. Signed and dated: c. Sohn jr / 83. Inscribed on the back as a portrait of brown with spot at frogmore in 1882, painted in 1883 from a photograph. Object Type: painting. Date: 1883. Dimensions: height: 43.5 cm (17.1 in); width: 32.2 cm (12.6 in). Medium: oil on panel. Depicted People: John Brown. Collection: Royal Collection. John Brown (d. 1883) at Frogmore, Carl Rudolph Sohn, 1883
Loading...
