The painting, by Maurice Quentin de La Tour, was hung in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery since it was bought for 22,000pounds in 1994.Currently a well-known expert believes the pastel might be Prince Henry Benedict's instead of Prince Charlie.The gallery supposed it was common for re-attributions to be made.The entire notion follows a two-year argument over the identity of the man in the painting since London art dealer Bendor Grosvenor claimed it was not Bonnie Prince Charlie.



Initially, the gallery dismissed the claim citing expert on Jacobite portraiture, Dr Edward Corp of the University of Toulouse, France, in its defence. However, Dr Corp has now altered his view in an article in the latest issue of The British Art Journal. Dr Corp stated that the heaviness of evidence, perhaps regrettably, supports Bendor Grosvenor's argument that the pastel in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery depicts Prince Henry rather than Prince Charles.

He also added that whether the portrait does or doesnt show Prince Charles really does matter.It is not only the catalogue of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery which has to be corrected. The impression which an entire nation has derived of this vital historical figure also needs to be modified. The portrait has been reproduced in all biographies of the prince, and has been chosen to express the article about him in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

An account about the controversy surrounding the picture will be attached in the National Galleries of Scotland when it goes back on show at the gallery in two years' time subsequent to a refurbish of the building.