Born in Dublin, John Ramage attended the Dublin School of Artists, where he received training as a goldsmith and painter. About 1772 he emigrated to the colonies, first to Nova Scotia and by 1775 he had settled in Boston. During the Revolution he was a Loyalist.
In general most of Ramage's sitters were either Tories or were sympathetic to the British. Although little is known about Bethune, it is presumed that he was a Loyalist (he is portrayed in a "red coat" uniform) and the miniature was probably painted in Boston. The likeness is straightforward and unidealized, including a prominent five o'clock shadow. The emphatic red of the uniform placed against the solid dark background is also striking.
Notes:
This text is adapted from Martha Severens "The Miniature Portrait Collection of the Carolina Art Association" published by the Carolina Art Association, 1984
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