RBS founder’s portrait set to fetch £30,000

A PORTRAIT of the founder of the Royal Bank of Scotland is set to fetch up to £30,000 at auction.

Archibald Campbell, the 3rd Duke of Argyll, was also one of the 31 Scottish Commissioners who negotiated the 1707 Act of Union with England.

His portrait will be sold at Bonhams in the Capital on April 19.

The 1748 painting is by Allan Ramsay, one of the most influential portrait painters of the 18th century.

Ramsay also painted the portrait of the duke which has appeared on all RBS bank notes since 1987.

Bonhams’ Chris Brickley said: “The emergence on to the market of this major work by Ramsay could hardly be more timely, with RBS constantly in the news and vigorous debate taking place over the future of the Union between Scotland and England in which Campbell played a persuasive role.”