# Portrait of Sir John Macpherson, 1st Baronet, Governor-General of India

- By: John I Smart (British, 1741–1811)
- Date: 1787
- Medium: watercolor and gouache heightened with white gouache on paper
- Classification: Portrait Miniature
- Dimensions: Image: 8.8 x 7.6 cm (3 7/16 x 3 in.); Sheet: 9.1 x 7.9 cm (3 9/16 x 3 1/8 in.); Secondary Support: 18.1 x 16 cm (7 1/8 x 6 5/16 in.)
- Culture: England, 18th century
- Credit line: Bequest of Mrs. A. Dean Perry
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1997.80)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/cma/1997.80/1997.80_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The sitter’s head and shoulders face left. He smiles slightly and has light blue eyes, with his powdered hair curled above the ear and tied en queue. He wears a green jacket edged in gold with gold buttons and dons a high white collar, a waistcoat, and a frilled cravat, each highlighted with white gouache. The nature of this work as a finished drawing rather than exclusively a preparatory sketch for a miniature on ivory is evident in the degree of finish of the sitter’s clothing, which is painted to the oval termination within a border of pale blue gouache. A Colnaghi label was removed from the verso after the work entered the museum’s collection. Sir John Macpherson (1745–1821) was the son of a Scottish minister. His many tours of service with the East India Company were marred by corruption and scandal. He was made acting governor-general of India in 1785–86 between the resignation of Warren Hastings (1732–1818) and the succession by Lord Cornwallis (1738–1805). Macpherson was created a baronet in 1786 when he was removed from office, returning to England shortly thereafter. He was an inveterate bachelor, popular in society for his handsomeness, charm, and facility with…