Henry Raeburn Dobson (29 May 1901 – 22 May 1985Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, General Register Office, Edinburgh, Deaths of 1985, District N° 746, entry N° 386) also known by his middle name Raeburn Dobson, was a Scottish portrait and landscape painter from Edinburgh. He was active in Edinburgh and Brussels from 1918 until 1980. His father, Henry John Dobson (1858–1928), and his brother, Cowan Dobson (1894–1980), were genre and portrait painters. His portraits are mainly painted in oil, whereas his landscapes are mostly watercolours.
Family History Henry Raeburn Dobson, a high society portrait painter, was born into a middle-class family with its roots in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. His father, Henry John Dobson (1858–1928),David Devereux, Niall Duncan, Glenken's History: a Dalry artist Henry John Dobson 1858–1928, in The Glenkens Gazette, s.d., p.11. Christopher Newall, Margaret Richardson, Dictionary of British Art: Victorian Painters, Christopher Wood, Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, 1998, Vol. IV, 1. The Text, p.142, col 1. J. Johnson, A. Greutzner, Dictionary of British Art: British Artists 1880–1940, Antique Collectors Club, Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, 1999R, 149, col. 3. was a Scottish genre and portrait painter from Dalry. Henry Dobson's grandfather, Thomas Dobson, was a wool merchantRegistration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, General Register Office, Edinburgh, Deaths of 1928, p. 152, entry 454. in the town of Kirkcudbright. The family believes there was a Dobson wool mill in Dalry, and it is thought this mill may have been owned and operated by Thomas Dobson. Henry Dobson did not continue the family tradition of running the family wool business. To become a painter he sacrificed his inheritance, and family legend states that Thomas Dobson disowned his son. Henry Dobson's life was marked by financial difficulties.
Henry Dobson married Jeannie Charlotte Hannah Cowan on 17 September 1890, in Dalry, in the district of Kirkcudbright.Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, General Register Office, Edinburgh, Marriages of 1890, p.3, entry 5 To exercise his art (and because there were more opportunities for painting portraits in the Scottish capital) they moved to a house in Edinburgh. Henry Raeburn Dobson was born there at 9 Merchiston CrescentIn some reference books, Henry John is stated to live at 5, Merchiston Place ! in a house that is stated to have had at least "7 rooms with one or more windows".Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, General Register Office, Edinburgh, Census of 1901, p. 3, Civil Parish of Edinburgh, Burgh Ward of Merchiston
As a portrait painter, Henry Dobson did not have much success. He transitioned into Scottish genre paintings in the style of Thomas Faed (1826–1900), Henry Wright Kerr (1857–1936) and David Wilkie (1785–1841). These scenes were especially popular in the United States and Canada, where they were often printed on tin biscuit boxes. Because Henry John often had difficulties paying the rent, the family moved often. It is said that he actually lived from hand to mouth and that it was mainly due to the household skills of his wife Jeannie that the family survived.
Siblings Raeburn was the youngest of Henry John Dobson's four children. The oldest child was Thomas Stanley Dobson, born in 1892 and named after his grandfather. He became an actor, but also worked for an art dealer named Robertson in London.
David Cowan Dobson was born in 1894 and was known as Cowan Dobson, a well-known London Society portrait painter. Although he painted portraits of famous men, including Earl Attlee, Earl Beatty and Harold Wilson, he mainly portrayed "fashionable London ladies".David Devereux, Niall Duncan, Glenken's History: a Dalry artist Henry John Dobson 1858–1928, in : The Glenkens Gazette, p.11 The name Cowan was given to David after his mother's family name.
The only sister was Louisa Rankin Dobson. She was born in 1896. She had an intense family bond with her younger brother and – together with mother Jeannie – looked after him throughout his life.
Raeburn was given the name of Henry Raeburn, after the famous eighteenth-century Scottish portrait painter, Sir Henry Raeburn (1756–1823), whom his father admired hugely.
School years Despite Henry John Dobson's financial precariousness, he sent his children to good local schools. Little is known about Raeburn's school days. His first years of formal education were spent at James Gillespie's High School in Edinburgh. He and Louisa were enrolled together on 5 September 1906.James Gillespie's High School, roll books 1897–1917: Raeburn was enrolled as reference 4443 and Louie as reference 3751 The family then lived at 4 Glengyle Terrace, Edinburgh.
Raeburn left Gillespie's on 18 July 1911, to attend the prestigious George Watson's College, also in Edinburgh.George Watson's College, Edinburgh, rollbook 1911 The family attached much importance to good education. At that time, the school was based near Lauriston Place in the centre of Edinburgh. In 1932, George Watson's College moved to its present building in Colinton Road, outside the city centre. He was admitted to George Watson's College on 26 September 1911. He left the school in July 1917, to attend (according to the school's archives) Art College.The records of George Watson's College do not mention to which Art College Raeburn went
In his last year at the college (his fifth), he studied English, History, Mathematics, Latin and French. His best subjects were the latter two. At the time, drawing was only taught to boys up to the fourth year. His art teacher at Watson's was Ralph W. HayRalph William Hay was born 7 November 1877 in Edinburgh and attended Gray's School of Art in 1895. From 1895 to 1900 he went to the Aberdeen School of Design. From 1900 to 1902 he was in London at the School of Arts and Crafts. He taught drawing and modelling firstly in "The Institution for the Deaf and Dumb". This is now known in Edinburgh as "Donaldson's College for the Deaf". He returned to Gray's School of Art to teach design from 1907 to 1908 and entered George Watson's Boys' College in 1908 as drawing teacher. He remained at the College, becoming Head of Department until his death on 10 March 1943. In art teaching, he was a pioneer of the Modern Movement in Scotland.The Watsonian, July 1943, p.52. He was one of the first to break away from the traditional colourless nineteenth-century way of teaching drawing. He was all in favour of colour, decoration and the expression of fantasy. This may explain why Raeburn's portraits – unlike his brother's portraits – are more colourful.
There is one odd circumstance which has been noted in his records. Henry left the school without warning in July 1912 to attend Mr. A. Miller Inglis' School for Boys, Maidenhead College, Maidenhead, Berkshire. Mr. Inglis was a cousin of his father. The note states "…but probably not to be there long as mother is missing him being at home." He did indeed return quickly to Edinburgh and returned to George Watson's College, but this time he stayed at a private boarding house run by Mrs. Imrie, who catered for George Watson's College pupils.Probably because his parents were on a business trip to the United States and Canada, looking for commissions. In a biography of Henry John, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery mentions that Henry John went to the USA and Canada in 1911 (http://www.nationalgalleries.org, PG 1580)
His art education started by being taught drawing and painting by his father. In 1917, after his years at George Watson's, he attended the Edinburgh College of Art, but only for one yearAccording to the Principal Librarian of the E.C.A., Dobson came to the College in 1917 at the age of 16 for one year only. He must have only completed the first year and did not return. He passed all his subjects with no other comments on his sheet. It therefore seems that Dobson's attendance at the College was for a very short time and little record of his attainments remains. According to his R.A.F. file, he attended the Royal College of Art in London the following year, where he studied until 1924.Air Ministry Form, 1406, dd. 22 September 1943, registration n° 145890 However, this cannot be proven, because the Royal College of Art in London does not have any records of Raeburn. In 1921, he was elected "Associate Member" of the Royal Cambrian Academy, of which he became a full member in 1930.In 1943 Henry Raeburn was written off the list of members of the Society, but was re-elected in 1958. Because he hardly ever presented works for exhibitions of the Society (he sent some works for the exhibitions of 1958 and 1960 only), the Society finally wrote him off in 1964. His main reason for not submitting works was the distance between Edinburgh and the Society in Conway, Wales: " I am essentially a portrait painter, and as most of my work is commissioned it is not always possible to have work on hand for exhibition, especially living as I do at this distance from the Cambrian Academy.", Raeburn wrote in a protest letter, dated 17 April 1964. The letter mentions that his father was 20 years or more member of the R.C.A.
London years
Raeburn left Edinburgh sometime between 1928 and 1929 and went to live and work in London, only to return to Scotland after the War. Several referencesPeter J.M. McEwan, Dictionary of Scottish Art and Architecture, Antique Collector's Club, 1994, p. 172.; Royal Academy Exhibitors, 1908–1970, p.173. The Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts 1861–1989, The Woodend Press, 1990, p.360.; Scottish Royal Academy Exhibitors 1826–1990, p. 421 state the following addresses for Raeburn : (1927-8) 130 George Street, Edinburgh (1929) Studio 108, Earl's Court Road, London, W8 (1931) 5 Thurloe Square, SW7 (1939) 20, Cranley Place, London SW7 (1940) 82, Studland Rd, Hanwell, London, W732 (1941) c/o Mathieson, 20 Frederick St., EdinburghMathieson was an art dealer and collector in Edinburgh ! (1941–1947) 12, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh 2 (1945) f/o, R.A.F., c/o C. Robertson & Co., 71 Parkway, London, N.W. 1 (1950–1963) The Scottish Liberal Club, Edinburgh (1965) Mavisbush Lodge, Polton, Lasswade, Midlothian
These addresses are a mixture of residences, post boxes and studio addresses. In 1947, Raeburn had already returned to EdinburghAfter his return to Edinburgh, Raeburn's mother went to live with her daughter Louie in London and lived in Queen Street, before moving to Fettes Row, on the outskirts of the Georgian New Town of the Scottish capital. The address at the Scottish Liberal Club was probably a post box. But, he exhibited there and he may also have had some rooms there.The old Club in Princes Street housed not only a proper 'club' area, but also different living quarters, which were rented out. The tenants would have breakfast and dinner in the 'club' dining room
Mavisbush Lodge was his workshop. At that time (1965) he lived in a flat at 5, Fettes Row, Edinburgh.Archives of the Scottish Country Dance Society, Edinburgh, Letter from the Secretary to H. Raeburn Dobson, Esq., 5, Fettes Row, Edinburgh, 3. This letter proves that Raeburn already owned Fettes Row in 1961 when he had the address at the Scottish Liberal Club
In the early 1920s, his elder brother Cowan Dobson, an official war artist,Imperial War Museum Archives, cat. ART/WA1/99/120, dd. 26.10.1918–08.11.1938. Cowan Dobson painted 3 portraits of R.A.F. V.C.'s for the R.A.F. Section of the Imperial War Museum in London : Lt. Col. L.W. Brabazon Rees, Sgt Mottershead and Flight Lt.A.W. Beauchamps-Proctor. had already settled in the British capital. He was well established in London, and in his home town of Glasgow. His wife, Phyllis Bowyer, was a driving force behind his success. Cowan and Phyllis travelled constantly between Glasgow and London.