Robert Udny facts for kids
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Robert Fullarton Udny (1725–1802) was a Scottish businessman and a big fan of art. He collected many famous paintings. People thought his art collection was very important during his time. After he died, his collection was sold off in 1804.
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Robert Udny's Life Story
Robert Udny was one of seven sons. His father, James Udny, was a lawyer in Aberdeen, Scotland. Robert became a sugar merchant, which means he bought and sold sugar. He owned a large sugar estate called Calivigny in Grenada.
In 1767, Robert Udny became a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London. This was a group for people interested in history and old things. In 1774, he started buying and selling land in Hertfordshire. He bought some land from John Hadley the younger, whose father was a famous astronomer. In 1785, Robert also became a member of the Royal Society, a very important group for science. In 1786, he inherited land in Aberdeenshire from a cousin who was a soldier for hire.
Later, Udny bought more land and houses in the London area. In 1789, he bought a house in Teddington that became known as Udny House. He added a special art gallery to this house, designed by the famous architect Robert Adam. He also bought a house in Mayfair, London. He passed away in this house in Hertford Street.
A Passion for Art: Robert Udny's Collection
Robert Udny bought many Italian paintings. His brother John Udny helped him a lot. John worked as a British consul (a government representative) in Italy for 35 years. Robert and his family even visited Italy in 1769–1770. They traveled through Turin and Rome before going to Venice.
Udny also helped other art lovers. He supported a print collector named Charles Rogers. Robert was known not just for collecting art, but also for supporting artists. He helped a painter named Edward Edwards visit Italy in 1775. Many famous artists, like George Romney and John Flaxman, visited Udny's art collection at Teddington in 1786.
One of the most famous artworks Udny owned was the Burlington House Cartoon by Leonardo da Vinci. He bought it from Italy in 1763. This artwork later went to the Royal Academy. Before 1799, Udny also sent two other drawings by Leonardo da Vinci to Catherine the Great. These were drawings of heads from Leonardo's famous painting, The Last Supper.
What Happened After Robert Udny Died?
Robert Udny died in 1802. A famous artist named Richard Cosway designed a special memorial for him.
Udny's daughter, Lady Cunynghame, was supposed to inherit his things. However, Udny had some disagreements with her husband. So, he decided to leave his possessions to others. He left part of his estate to his nephew, Robert George Udny. This nephew was the son of Robert's brother Ernest. Robert George Udny's wife, Temperance Fleming, later received money for the Grenada estate. This money, about £7,972, was paid under the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.
Robert Udny wanted the Royal Academy to have the first chance to buy his art collection. His family tried to make this happen, but no sale was made. So, his art collection was sold in several auctions. The first sale in 1802 was for prints. In May 1804, over 200 of Udny's paintings were sold at Christie's, a famous auction house. After that, his furniture, sculptures, and porcelain were sold in July. Some paintings that didn't sell went to John Robert Udny, another family member. The art gallery at Udny House was taken down in 1825. The house itself was torn down in 1899.
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Robert Udny's Family
Robert Udny married twice. His first wife was Miss Hougham, whose first name was Mary. They had a daughter named Jane. Their other daughter, Mary, married Sir William Cunynghame, 4th Baronet in 1785.
His second wife was Margaret Jordan, who was also known as Martha. In 1805, Martha Udny became a teacher for Princess Charlotte of Wales. Princess Charlotte was the daughter of the future King George IV. Martha Udny passed away in 1831.
