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This three-quarter length portrait of two young boys was painted by David Allan, who was born in Alloa in 1744. The boys have not been identified with certainty, but it seems likely that they are the two elder sons of John Francis Erskine, later 7th Earl of Mar.

David Allan's artistic promise was recognised by several of the wealthy families in Clackmannanshire, in particular the Erskines of Alloa Tower and the Cathcarts of Schawpark, near Sauchie. They helped ensure that he attended the new Foulis Academy in Glasgow and supported him when he went to Italy, where in 1773 he was awarded a gold medal by the Academy of St Luke in Rome, the first Scottish painter since Gavin Hamilton to receive this award.

Portrait after restoration

In 1779 David Allan settled in Edinburgh, where he concentrated on painting portraits, portrait miniatures and figure subjects. He is known as the "Scottish Hogarth" and is regarded as the father of English genre painting and pioneer of Scottish aquatinting. He returned often to visit his family in Alloa and remained in close contact with the Erskines and Lord Cathcart. He painted the Erskine family group with Alloa Tower in the background in 1783 and in 1785 the famous portrait group of the Cathcart family watching the first cricket match in Scotland at Schawpark. David Allan experienced delicate health throughout his life and died in Edinburgh in 1796.

This painting is undated but was probably painted c1785, during one of Allan's visits to Alloa. The Erskine family group shows a small boy - James Floyer Erskine (1773 -1798) - second son of the 7th Earl - aiming a bow and arrow at a top hat in a tree. The hat has been variously explained as representing the eldest son - John Thomas Erskine (1772 - 1828), who was away at school when it was painted or, since the painting has been repaired at some stage, that the eldest boy, who briefly became the 8th Earl of Mar after his father's death in 1825, was in the tree but was cut out of the painting after being disinherited by his father. The general lack of concern on the faces of the family at the potential danger from the arrow suggests, however, that the former explanation is the more likely, if less romantic.

The presence of the bow and arrow, though of different dimensions, in both paintings, the mischievous expression on the face of the younger boy in each and the similarity of his clothes suggest that the boys were the Erskines, in which case this is the only surviving portrait of the future 8th Earl of Mar as a child.

Portrait before restoration

Another possibility is that the boys are two of the four sons of General Sir Ralph Abercromby of Tullibody House, also in Clackmannanshire. A fine portrait of his third son, James Abercromby, who became Lord Dunfermline, exists in the collection of the University of Dundee. The portrait was painted in 1779, when he was three, and there is a resemblance to the younger boy in the painting considered here, though their colouring is different. It is not known yet if a portrait exists of his elder brothers. It is clear, however, that they were almost exact contemporaries in age with the sons of the 7th Earl of Mar.

The painting is not listed in any inventory of David Allan's work and has certainly not been exhibited before. It does not appear to have been owned by the Erskine family in more recent times, so may have passed out of ownership of the family at an early date.

David Allan is the only well known Scottish artist to have a connection with Clackmannanshire. This is an engaging portrait which is one of his more accomplished and charming works. The likely connection with the Erskine family gives it added interest, but even without this the painting is a great asset to the collection.

The painting was purchased by Clackmannanshire Council with financial support from the National Fund for Acquisitions administered with government funds by the National Museums of Scotland and the Friends of Clackmannanshire Museum and Heritage Service.

The images show the painting before and after restoration. There was some damage and poor restoration to the younger boy's face and the painting was very dirty. It has been cleaned and the old repair work has been removed. The restoration has breathed new life into the painting. Research to identify the boys will continue and new information will be added here.