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Macdonald's first commission came from Robert Graeme of Garvock House near Dunning for the Graeme coat of arms. The property was sold by Savills in 2022 (vide, https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbedrseds200211) and there is no evidence of the carving, however a pediment to the upper right of the main entrance appears to have had work carried out on its facade suggesting the carving may have been there but has been removed or destroyed. John Gifford in his Pevsner Buildings of Scotland volume on Perth and Kinross (Yale, 2007, p.380) states the 17th C Laird's House, which formed a second west wing behind the main block (c.1826) was demolished c.1980 - this may be where the carved panel was. (RHR - 2023-04-06) He received his first employment from a Perth builder McCurrach, according to Drummond, whereas DNB suggests he was apprenticed to Thomas Gibson then engaged in building the Murray Royal Asylum in Perth (Gifford op.cit, pp.651-652 gives William Burn appointed architect and construction 1822-27). In addition to training his own son Alexander, Macdonald is also suggested to have been the master of William Brodie RSA. "STATUARY.—One of the boldest efforts in statuary that ever was attempted by any artist north of the Tweed has just been completed by Mr. Lawrence Macdonald, of this city, and will, in all probability, now be submitted to public inspection. The group consists of three figures, all of which are colossal, and about eight feet in height. It represents Ajax bearing the dead body of Patroclus, and at the same time is about to inflict a deadly blow on a foe, who is placed before him in a recumbent position, leaning on one arm, knee, and foot. The impression of herculean strength and determination is forcibly represented in Ajax, and his great exertions are beautifully manifested by the almost bursting appearance of his veins; as is the total abandon in Patroclus, who, from the flexibility of the body, and the pensile state of one of his arms, appears to have been recently killed. The prostrated figure is, in point of marking and design, one of the most attractive and correctly modelled statues we have ever gazed on—indeed, the success that has followed the artist's daring effort on this occasion is quite apparent, and demands our unqualified praise. The whole has been carefully modelled from living figures, and a dead body was actually procured that had been recently deprived of life for the figure of Patroclus. Mr. Macdonald, we understand, has been engaged on this gigantic work for very nearly twelve months and, now that it is finished, he has certainly some cause to be proud of his labours.—Edinburgh Evening Post." (New Times (London) - Wednesday 12 August 1829) "STATUARY/ HEROIC GROUP OF THREE FIGURES/ THE ROYAL INSTITUTION ROOMS are/ now OPEN for the Exhibition of a Group of THREE COLOSSAL FIGURES, Sculptured by MR LAWRENCE MACDONALD,/ And representing Ajax bearing the dead body of Pa-/ troclus,and combating a Trojan Warrior./ Admittance 1s; Season Ticket 5s;—Open from 10/ A. M. till Dusk./ Edinburgh, Aug. 27, 1829." ( The Scotsman - Wednesday 28 October 1829) DUEL BETWEEN THE EDITORS of THE MERCURY AND SCOTSMAN,-..A controversy of rather a personal nature had for some time been carried on by the Editors of the Caledonian Mercury and the Scotsman, through the medium of these papers. This led in the first instance to a correspondence, seven or eight weeks ago, between the conductors of the Scotsman, and Mr Allan, proprietor of the Mercury, which terminated in Sir Allan's agreeing "to prevent the appearance in his journal of any thing personally injurious to these gentlemen," Mr Ritchie and Mr Maclaren. This adjustment was considered as hiving been violated by the publication in the Scotsman of a letter from the Rev. Dr Thomson, containing a free use of epithets not the most palatable to the editor of the Mercury: this letter was, however, prefaced by the editor of the Scotsman all some remarks, to show that, as a public journalist, he could not, even in the circumstances in which he was then placed, refuse its insertion. The parties were once again at issue, and Mr Ritchie, one of the conductors of the Scotsman, considering himself insulted by an article in hug Monday's Mercury, demanded satisfaction from Mr Allan. This Mr Allan refused, on the ground, that "though as proprietor he is legally responsible for whatever his paper contains, he is not personally responsible, when he had no knowledge of the article complained of till alter publication, and more especially when the editor of his paper is known to the party complaining, who must be understood to have inserted the article on his own responsibility as such, in the usual way." The correspondence relative to this subject was published at length in the Scotsman of Wednesday last, in consequence of which the matter was taken up by the Procurator-Fiscal for the city, who had the parties, Mr Allan and Mr Ritchie, bound over to keep the peace. In the forenoon of that day, Mr Maclaren, editor of the Scotsman sent to Dr Browne, editor of the Mercury, a letter intimating that he was the author of the remarks in the Wednesday Scotsman which applied to Dr Browne. The result was, that Mr Peterkin on behalf of Dr Browne, and Mr Lawrence Macdonald on the part of Mr Maclaren, had a conference*. The conference not proving satisfactory, the parties met, and the following account of the meeting is given by Mr Peterkin who adds, that except in the order of some of the expressions, it is substantially the same as Mr Macdonald's. Dr Browne. attended by Mr Peterkin, and Mr Liston, surgeon; and Mr Maclaren, attended by Mr L. Macdonald, and Mr Syme, surgeon, met precisely at the hour appointed, at a fixed point on the Ravelston road, near Bell's Mills. They went into a field adjacent to the route, and before taking the ground,Mr Peterkin asked Mr Macdonald if he had any proposal to offer relative to the conference of the preceding evening? Mr Macdonald replied, he had none. Upon which, having proposed to proceed, Mr Peterkin measured the distance at Mr Macdonald's request, twelve paces. They then successively loaded, in one another's presence, a brace of pistols each, and the principals took their ground. It having previously fallen to Mr Peterkin's lot to give the word, a pistol was given to each party, and on the word "Fire" the parties fired almost at the same instant without effect. Mr Macdonald then came up to Mr Peterkin and asked what farther was to be done? Mr Peterkin enquired if he was authorised by Mr Maclaren to make any apology, Mr Macdonald replied that he was not. Macdonald said, " Do you consider It necessary to proceed further. A brief conference then took place, in which it seemed to be their mutual impression that nothing further was necessary. Mr Peterkin said, that if such was Mr Macdonald's opinion, he had no disposition to push matters in the slightest degree beyond what was absolutely necessary in such a case. Mr Macdonald asked if Mr Peterkin thought the gentlemen concerned should shake hands? Mr Peterkin replied; "Certainly not, since no apology has been made." Mr Macdonald asked, if Mr Peterkin was satisfied that both gentlemen had conducted themselves properly on the present occasion? Mr Peterkin rieplied, that they had both conducted themselves with calmness and courage, and like gentlemen; and that being the ease, he acquiesced in Mr Macdonald's view, that nothing further was necessary. Mr Macdonald then communicated to the parties that such was his and Mr Peterkin's joint opinion, and that they had conducted themselves in a gentleman-like manner. Mr Peterkin intimated aloud that such was his opinion, but that no apologies at pledges were given on either side. Mr Peterkin then advanced and shook hands with Mr Maclaren, expressing his deep regret to meet him on an occasion so extremely distressing. Mr Maclaren said that he was happy that Mr Peterkin had been called on to act in the matter. Mr Macdonald shook hands with Dr Browne, and the parties left the ground." (Inverness Journal and Northern Advertiser - Friday 20 November 1829) *according to The Scotsman, 1878-06-07 this meeting took place in a Coffee House on Hanover Street at 7pm on 1829-11-11 where arrangements for the duel were agreed and written down. The duel took place at 7am the following morning (1829-11-12). The Wikipedia entry on MacDonald suggests the duel in part related to unfavourable comments made in the papers on 1829-11-06 concerning Macdonald's sculptures. The Perth historian, and fine art dealer Peter R Drummond devoted a chapter of his 1879 book 'Perthshire in Bygone Days' to Macdonald. This was originally serialised in the Perthshire Constitutional and Journal Newspaper, commencing in April 1878 shorlty after Macdonald's death. This remains the standard reference for him. "Mr Lawrence Macdonald, sculptor, well known for his portraits and busts of English peers of more than one generation, died of congestion of the lungs on Monday afternoon, above 80 years old." (The Globe - Wednesday 6 March 1878) "Mr. Lawrence Macdonald, the sculptor, died at Rome on Sunday at the age of eighty, of congestion of the lungs." (Pall Mall Gazette - Wednesday 6 March 1878) "DEATH OF A PERTHSHIRE SCULPTOR. The Scotsman refers to the death at Rome of Mr Lawrence Macdonald, who has had a long and successful professional career. Born at Gask, in Perthshire, about the year 1798, Mr Macdonald began life as apprentice to the building trade; but having shown an aptitude for stone-carving, he went youth to study at the Trustees' Academy, then carried on under the charge of Mr Andrew Wilson, in Picardy Place, Edinburgh, and where he found as fellow pupils Sir John Steell, Mr Charles Lees, and Mr Kenneth Macleay. Having gained the friendship of Mr George Combe, as well as of Mr John Ritchie, the late proprietor, and Mr Charles Maclaren, then the editor, of the Scotsman, he was by those gentlemen furnished with the means of visiting Rome. He returned to Edinburgh about the year 1826. Among those with whom he stood on an intimate footing were Professor Wilson, Mr Dundas, advocate (afterwards Lord Manor), and Mr Glassford Bell. He acted as second to Mr C. Maclaren in that gentleman's duel in 1829 with Dr James Browne, editor of the Caledonian Mercury. Among the sitters for whom he was specially successful in producing busts were Mr Combe, Professor Wilson and his two daughters, afterwards Mrs Ferrier and Mrs Aytoun, and Mrs Brougham, mother of the late Lord Brougham. Among his sitters, in addition those above referred to, may be mentioned Lord and Lady Canning, the Princess Mary of Cambridge, the late Duke of Hamilton, and various members of his Grace's family. But, indeed, there is hardly a noble family, Scottish or English, for whom at one time or another his chisel was not employed. Mr Macdonald married an Italian lady, and had two sons, one of whom, Mr Alexander Macdonald, has followed his father's profession, and has already done some excellent work." (Dundee Courier - Tuesday 12 March 1878) RSA Annual Report, 1878, Notice XIII. "Mr. Laurence Macdonald, H.R.S.A., died early in March, in Rome, after having spent nearly fifty years of his life there. Although one of the earliest members of the Academy, Mr. Macdonald went to Rome soon after its establishment, and as he remained there till his death, he had not the opportunity of doing so much to forward the interests of Art in Scotland as he might otherwise have done. But his works occasionally appeared in the Annual Exhibitions, where they were distinguished by their chaste character and style. His busts, while most faithful as like-nesses, are also beautiful works of Art. His ideal works are highly classical in their subjects, full of grace, and carefully correct in form, design, and treatment. Mr Macdonald was the best known and most highly appreciated Scottish sculptor who has made his abode in Rome, and he was ever ready to forward the studies and promote the interests of all who paid a visit for pleasure or for profit to the city of the Caesars." He is buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome, the headstone carved by his son Alexander. Aberdeen Press and Journal - Wednesday 27 January 1830 - carries an example of Macdonald's efforts at poetry, a five verse work titled 'Stanzas to a Lady.'