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This painting shows Sir James Matheson, proprietor of the Isle of Lewis. He was born at Shiness, Sutherland and died in the South of France. In 1844 Matheson purchased the Isle of Lewis from the Seaforth Mackenzies for £190,000. Two years earlier, at the age of 46, he had been able to retire from Jardine Matheson & Co., the hugely successful Canton-based company he had founded with William Jardine in 1828. The legitimate trading arm of this company dealt in banking, shipping, insurance and marketing but was bolstered by the selling and shipping of opium – illegal in China. For two months in 1839 Matheson was forcibly detained by Imperial Commissioner, Lin Zexu, and had his opium inventories confiscated. He began opium sales in Hong Kong.
Sir James’s good works on the island came to be tainted by the tyrannical actions of his factor, Donald Munro, whose treatment of the crofters led to discontent and bitter animosity. Munro was in post from 1854 until 1874 when the Bernera Riots – caused by his inhumane treatment of the Bernera crofters – led to his disgrace.
Museum nan Eilean
Stornoway
Title
Sir James Matheson (1796–1878)
Date
1871
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 142.2 x W 111.5 cm
Accession number
1990.58.64
Acquisition method
transferred from Stornoway Burgh Council
Work type
Painting
Inscription description
Daniel Macnee RSA/1871
Museum nan Eilean
Lews Castle, Stornoway, Western Isles HS2 0XP Scotland
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