William Denune: A Portraitist of the Eighteenth Century William Denune, a figure whose name often remains obscured within the annals of 18th-century British art, emerges as a compelling portraitist and early American painter. Born around 1712 in Scotland – likely Pencaitland Parish, East Lothian – his life intertwined with both European artistic traditions and the burgeoning colonial landscape of North America. While extensive biographical details remain scarce, piecing together fragments from historical records, DNA analysis, and art historical attribution reveals a man shaped by family leg…