Unknown Hunting Scene

[figheadair]

I recently discovered a fascinating linen piece c1800 that is printed with the detail of David Allan's Highland Wedding but is bigger and contains other elements, some highland, others more European in style. Given the Allen source for the main theme I'm wondering if other elements are borrowed from elsewhere.

Does anyone recognise this hunting scene?

[Jock Scot]

Now how can I answer this without getting my post moderated?

I am not at all sure the huntsman is wearing the kilt, but perhaps he is? I do not recognise the scene and do wonder if it is staged in Scotland? Supposing it is Scotland the brace of long dogs interest me. I had always thought that the deer were hunted in Scotland with shaggy deer hound type things, but those in the picture are more like a couple of smooth haired greyhounds, which again causes me to think outwith Scotland?

[figheadair]

Jock,

The resolution is not that good but the chap following the hounds is definitely wearing Highland cloths. to put it in context, here's the whole thing - click to enlarge (a bit).

[Jock Scot]

I think we have seen that fellow dancing before here on this website(post 63, Tartan with no sporran, thread). So OK, now I can see the Scots context with the band, etc., but that couple of hounds worry me.

[mookien]

Jock,

The resolution is not that good but the chap following the hounds is definitely wearing Highland cloths. to put it in context, here's the whole thing - click to enlarge (a bit).

Attachment 17168

It appears to be, at least in part, a 1780 painting by David Allan entitled "Highland Wedding at Blair Atholl". At one time, perhaps until the present, it was on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland. For more information see

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/col...record_id/3341

The backgrounds of the two pictures differ. I have no idea why.

[ThistleDown]

Highland Wedding (at Blair Atholl) was painted after Allan's sojourn in Italy so that might explain the two smooth-coated greyhounds -- except that the original Highland Wedding doesn't have the hunting scene. You date your piece of linen to c1800, Peter; I think that was a quarter-century or so after Allan's original and perhaps even after his death. Is the linen itself Scottish?

EDIT. To make it easier to compare, here's Allan's Highland Wedding (it's still in the National Gallery, mookien) over feaghdair's linen. The other differences between the two are interesting, as well. The perspective, the less amorous couple to the right, the species of trees and grasses, the ship on the sea loch....

[TheOfficialBren]

How might one obtain very high resolution copies of the images for further examination? This interests me.

[figheadair]

Highland Wedding (at Blair Atholl) was painted after Allan's sojourn in Italy so that might explain the two smooth-coated greyhounds -- except that the original Highland Wedding doesn't have the hunting scene. You date your piece of linen to c1800, Peter; I think that was a quarter-century or so after Allan's original and perhaps even after his death. Is the linen itself Scottish?

EDIT. To make it easier to compare, here's Allan's Highland Wedding (it's still in the National Gallery, mookien) over feaghdair's linen. The other differences between the two are interesting, as well. The perspective, the less amorous couple to the right, the species of trees and grasses, the ship on the sea loch....

Allan's portrait is interesting for a number of reasons not least that it was painted in 1780, right at the end of Proscription. Several of the same figures also appear in his the Highland Dance of the same date and the soldier appears to be the same one in Allan's The Black Stool - variations on a theme. I have no idea for whom he painted them but it wouldn't surprise me if it were the Duke of Atholl or one other the other nobles involved with promoting the Repeal.

The Linen piece is c1800 but nothing is known for certain about its origins but it was probably a fashion piece produced at a time when all things Highland were beginning to become fashionable. The original is reversed but I have corrected it to align with the original portrait. I feel sure that I've seen the hunting scene (just noticed the stag about to disappear behind the central tree) but cannot think where. It may of course not be a Highland theme scene but one that has been incorporated to enhance the romantic Scottish theme. Notice too the ship which is not in Allan's portrait either.

How might one obtain very high resolution copies of the images for further examination? This interests me.

I don't think one exists so it would need to be commissioned.

[ThistleDown]

I hadn't seen the connection with The Black Stool before, Peter. Thanks. Here's The Highland Dance so folks can see the kilted dancing figure repeated in both, and again in your linen. The reversed image on the linen is intriguing, too. I think you are correct about provenance; the National Gallery would be able to verify that, but your main interest here is the linen, not The...Wedding. A closer look at the birds at upper left and lower right might help; also the hay rick in your piece, not in the original, seems to be thatched in the French style. I mentioned the ship in post 6; that places it at the coast, not in Atholl. You will have noticed the beater in the hunt scene, and the apparently improved knowledge of the kilt in The Dance, whereas in The...Wedding and your linen the kilt seems to be either slashed or not joining over hi right thigh.

[IsaacW]

I have not studied hounds in Scotland all that much but I have done a fair bit of reading on hunting through the Medieval period and a bit beyond in Europe and Britain (hunting is a great interest to me). That sleek dog (like a greyhound) is a common build for coursers. Often, multiple types of dogs were utilized for different parts of the chase. Today, certain breeds have taken dominance and many historic hunting dogs no longer exist or exist in the manner that they did historically. Anyway, although it is not the common look of today's staghounds, I would not rule it out as "Scottish" based on that look.