Weekly Snippets from Scotland

SCOTTISH SNIPPETS

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Famous Scottish Portrait to be Sold Next Month.

A Scottish portrait that has been unseen for generations is to be unveiled in Paris next month.

The recently discovered portrait is of the Scottish 18th century architect James Byres (1734-1817). Byres was born the son of Jacobite Patrick Byres of Tonley House at Tough, Aberdeenshire. He was taken to the Continent by his parents when they fled Scotland after the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

He studied painting in Rome and was elected to the city's artists' guild, the Accademia di San Luca, as an architect. From the 1760s he was also an antiquarian guide for those on the Grand Tour, including the historian Edward Gibbon. The portrait, by Anton von Maron, features one of Byres' drawings in the foreground. It probably dates from 1768 when Byres was elected to the Royal Academy. It has never previously been exhibited and has passed through the family. The dealers Bernheimer Colnaghi are showing the painting at the Grand Palais in Paris from 15 September. It is offered for sale at €510,000 (£420,000).

Gaelic Film Makers Receive Special Funding

First Minister Alex Salmond has announced funding to help train aspiring Gaelic film-makers. A total of £10,000 from the Scottish Government and £15,000 from Bòrd na Gàidhlig will support skills training for entrants to the Gaelic-language short-film competition, FilmG.

Scots Unhappy About Lockerbie Bomber Release

Hillary Clinton last night declared it was "unjustifiable" that the Lockerbie bomber remained free a full year after his release, as Libyan officials boasted of the "big victory" they had won in securing his return home.

In a statement marking the first anniversary of Abdelbast Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi's release, the United States secretary of state reiterated that the man convicted of Britain's worst terrorist atrocity should be returned to Scotland to serve out the rest of his sentence. The first anniversary of his release, she said, weighed "most heavily" on the families of the dead, who "must live every day with the loss of their loved ones."

Her comments came as US senators announced they were widening their inquiry into why Megrahi was freed, and would be writing to Libyan and Qatari officials over claims they used "commercial interests" to pressure ministers here to let him go.

And while there was no repeat of the wild celebrations that marked Megrahi's return home last year, Libyan officials declared the country's leadership was "keeping quiet while they secretly enjoy their success". A source added: "They do not need to trumpet that now." The "noisy fight" between the US and British governments was "enough to remind Libyans and the rest of the world about our leadership's skills in scoring a big victory", the official said.

Scottish ministers continued to deny vehemently claims they had freed the bomber on any grounds other than his illness. Megrahi, who suffers from terminal prostate cancer, was allowed to return home after doctors concluded that a three-month prognosis for his life expectancy was "a reasonable estimate".

A new poll released on Friday found a majority of Scots oppose the decision to release him, with public opinion over the bitterly controversial decision apparently hardening against the SNP government.

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