Anton von MaronAustrian, 1733–1808Archibald Menzies
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Archibald Menzies” now? Harvard Art Museums, Gallery 2220, floor 2, European and American Art, 17th–19th century, Cambridge. Yes, on view now. Checked October 12, 2026.
Cambridge, United States
Room2220, floor 2, European and American Art, 17th–19th century
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
Born in Vienna but residing for much of his life in Rome, Anton von Maron was one of the most celebrated portraitists of the eighteenth century, receiving commissions from the Roman elite, foreign dignitaries, and British aristocrats visiting on the Grand Tour. Here he portrays the Scottish commissioner and traveler Archibald Menzies (d. 1777) in an elaborate waistcoat and fur-trimmed jacket. The sitter holds a copy of Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem (1761), the book by James Macpherson purported to be a translation from the Gaelic. The inclusion of that volume, with its controversial claim of a classical heritage for Scotland, marks his sitter’s political affiliations and engagement in contemporary debates on history and literature, and underscores the sitter’s desire to be associated with Rome.
Harvard Art Museums
Details
- Accession number
- BR57.147
In the catalog
Sources
- Harvard Art Museums
- Image: Harvard Art Museums — © President and Fellows of Harvard College
