Sir Henry Raeburn was a Scottish painter, and he served as the Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. His work is incredibly popular, and it has been featured in many books and exhibitions. 

The Raeburn family was settled in a farming and pastoral life, but the father of Henry Raeburn sought his fortune in trade and eventually became a millowner in Edinburgh. He was taken in by William, a younger brother of Henry. When he was six years old, William was able to care for him until his mother died. The elder brother was also able to help his orphaned brother grow up and complete his education.

While Raeburn had a relatively early start in his career, he did not show any signs of precocity. In fact, he began painting at an early age, when he was still apprenticed to a goldsmith, William Gilliland. He spent nine to four hours in his studio, and he completed a portrait of Chantrey in 1786, the same year that he was studying sculpture.