Jacobites, 1745, 1874

John Pettie RA (1839 - 1893)

RA Collection: Art

John Pettie was born in Edinburgh and first studied in the Trustees' Academy in that city. He moved to London in 1862 and began concentrating on scenes from Sir Walter Scott, whose novels of Scottish romance remained a strong influence throughout his career.

In this painting Pettie depicts an early scene from the Jacobite rising of 1745 when many Highlanders gathered to support Charles Edward Stuart, or 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', who had returned to Scotland to attempt to regain the British throne. The dark background of the scene was criticised by Ruskin as 'slovenly' but he also recognised the 'real pathos and most subtle expression' of the group of Highlanders making their ultimately fateful decision which ended in defeat at Culloden.