Historic Painting Thread

[McMurdo]

James Drummond
Montrose
Dated 1859

James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, raised an army on behalf of Charles II and won many victories in the Highlands. He was eventually captured by treachery, and is here shown dragged by the public executioner on a cart up the Royal Mile, past the balcony of Moray House, where his greatest enemies, the Marquis of Argyll and his family, were watching. Drummond had a profound knowledge of the buildings of old Edinburgh and was a passionate collector of many of the kinds of object - Highland weapons and costumes - which feature in this picture. He based his story upon a poem by William Edmondstoune Aytoun, which presents Montrose as a betrayed saint or martyr to the Royalist cause.

[BoldHighlander]

This print is part of the Boyd Album, a collection of prints and documents collected together by the Boyd Family and now in the collection of Dean castle.

[Morris at Heathfield]

There's a story that, as Montrose was being led to Edinburgh in rags, a MacNaughton took off his plaid and handed it to him. For this reason he is depicted in the MacNaughton tartan in Drummond's painting. Also, there is a Red Graham (of Montrose) tartan that is almost identical to the MacNaughton tartan.

[BoldHighlander]

"Highland Tod, Fox Hunter" by Richard Ansdell 1859

[BoldHighlander]

I'm a big fan of Richard Ansdell's work, and I think if one wishes to recreate the look of the "common" highland shepherd, gameskeeper, etc during the Victorian age; then his works from the era are great to study.
Here are a few more:

"Washing the sheep"




"Picking out the lambs"




"The sick lamb"

[BoldHighlander]

from a website devoted to Ansdell, hosted by his great-great-granddaughter (http://www.richardansdell.co.uk/):
"After he had discovered Scotland and had built his own Lodge there on the banks of Loch Laggan, he spent time north of the border whenever he could – painting many Scottish subjects – stags in glens, sheep on hillsides, moorland/mountain scenes, sheep-dipping, everyday scenes in a shepherd’s life, shooting parties."

"The Scotch Gamekeeper"


"Crossing the Moor"


"Crossing the Moor" (II)


& the ever poignant "Lost in the storm"

[McMurdo]

There's a story that, as Montrose was being led to Edinburgh in rags, a MacNaughton took off his plaid and handed it to him. For this reason he is depicted in the MacNaughton tartan in Drummond's painting. Also, there is a Red Graham (of Montrose) tartan that is almost identical to the MacNaughton tartan.

As a Graham, I am well aware of the story, but thank you for bringing it up here. I do like the Red Graham tartan very much indeed.