(1722 - 1802), West India merchant and collector, of Teddington, Mx., and Udny Castle, Aberdeen; yr. bro. of John Udny (1727 - 1800); FRS 1785; m. 1 Miss Hougham (sis. of Cts.of Northampton), 2 Margaret [Martha] Jordan.
1769 - 70 Turin (by 9 Sep. 1769), Rome (by Dec. 1769 - 22 Apr. 1770), Venice (22 May)
1775 Rome (c.Jun.)
Described in his obituary as 'one of the old breed of true English gentlemen',1 he came to Italy with his wife and daughter in 1769, when his older brother John was already well-established as the British consul in Venice. Although Robert amassed a considerable collection of old masters from Italy, principally through his brother's agency, records of his own visits to Italy are scant. The Udny family were in Turin in September2 and at Rome by December.3 On 22 April Udny exported ten old master paintings from Rome,4 and on 22 May he arrived in Venice with his family.5
In July 1775 'Mr and Mrs and Miss Udny', presumably the same, who had been at Rome, were returning to England.6
In 1778 Piranesi dedicated two plates in his Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi to Robert and one to Maria Udny. Robert's only daughter Maria (by his first wife) m. 1785 Sir William Cunynghame of Livingstone and Milncraig.
1. Wal.Corr., 12:89n37, see also 42:165n1. 2. SP 105/319, f.652 (W. Lynch, 9 Sep. 1769). 3. Forbes MSS (Mrs Forbes, 25 Dec. 1769). 4. ASR aba, 12, f.286. 5. ASV is 759. 6. Home letters MSS (5 Jul. 1775).