In Folio: Rare Volumes in the Stanford University Libraries

James Logan, 1794?-1872.
The Clans of the Scottish Highlands, Illustrated by Appropriate Figures, Displaying Their Dress, Tartans, Arms, Armorial Insignia, and Social Occupations, from Original Sketches ….
London: Ackermann & Co., 1845-1847.

James Logan, who wrote the text of this book, was born in Aberdeen. He was himself an artist, but spent his life researching things antiquarian. He wrote The Scottish Gael, or, Celtic Manners, a popular account of both the history and eccentricities of Highlanders.

Robert R. McIan (1803-1856) was an actor who developed a second career in painting; he submitted his first work to the Royal Academy of Painting in London in 1835. He focused on dramatic scenes from Scottish history, such as “The Battle of Culloden,” and “A Highland Feud.” A chance meeting with James Logan resulted in their collaborating on this great work, the first comprehensive illustrated work on the Scottish clans.

The work was dedicated to Queen Victoria, whose fondness for things Scottish was well-known. It was issued in 1845 to commemorate the centenary of the 1745 uprising, remarkable given the deep-seated rancor that characterized feelings about the uprising for decades after 1745. McIan’s rendering of the clansmen is romanticized, as was much of the image of Scotland and the Highlands in English culture at that time. The book was produced by Ackermann and Co., who were justly celebrated for publishing beautifully illustrated books.

Previous Image | Next Image

In Folio Exhibit Index