The Duke of Argyll represented Scottish nobility and government in the 18th century. These noblemen, from the clan Campbell, were masters of vast tracts of Argyllshire and extremely influential over many other parts of Scotland – including the old Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, and later, in the British Parliament in London after the Act of Union in 1707. Portrait painter Allan Ramsay was based in Edinburgh for many years, and was able to gather noble patrons around him. This image of nobility, taste and political patronage suited both sitter and artist well. The provenance of the painting is not known, but it was purchased in 1749 and hung in Glasgow Town Hall until the 1800s alongside a series of other paintings which included Stuart and Hanoverian monarchs.