I find it interesting that the Scot on the left of the front line is wearing trews, which I associate w/ lowlanders, but also a dirk on his chest? What's the rest of the story on the painting?
What's the fallicy in my understanding? Thanks.
Hi Flinty Scot,
What really set Lowlanders apart from even earlier in the 18th century, is they dressed the same as the English. That normally meant breeches and stockings until it got cold enough to wear trews.
It is a common misconception that Highlanders didn't wear trews during this period. You better believe they did when it got cold enough and it SURE got cold enough during a Highland Winter and especially on Clan held islands. GRIN.
I can vouch for this from having worn a period correct weight Philabeag (Short Kilt) and period correct thick diced hose when we got snowed on. Yes, I was wearing the Short Kilt "authentically" or "regimentally." I was actually surprised it wasn't too bad, BUT it barely got down to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit that day. I would NOT want to try it ten degrees colder and the Highlands could and did get that cold or colder in the winter.
Now, what you would almost certainly would NOT have seen a Lowlander Scot do was wear a Tartan Plaid set of Trews in this period. There was widespread belief in the Lowlands that Highlanders were crude to downright barbaric and no Lowlander would want to look like that.
Here is the entire painting, entitled
An incident in the rebellion of 1745 by David Morier
" This is a painting depicting the battle of Culloden, where the Jacobite army was defeated by Hanovarian troops in 1746. It was painted in 1746, not long after the battle. The artist is said to have used Jacobite prisoners for his models of the tartan, trews, and great kilt/belted-plaid wearing Jacobite soldiers, and for this reason the painting is considered a reliable depiction of Highland male clothing of the time. In particular, that some of the individual Jacobite soldiers are shown wearing several different tartan patterns all at the same time is considered a significant indication of the lack of a "clan tartan" concept at the time."
The Artist was David Morier, who was also paid by the Duke of Cumberland to paint a series of Grenadier and other Soldiers' Paintings of the British Army.
"
David Morier, (1705? – Around 8 January 1770) was an
Anglo-
Swiss painter of portraits, military subjects and historical scenes around and after the time of the
War of the Austrian Succession and the related
Jacobite rising of 1745. His most recognisable work is entitled "An Incident in the Rebellion of 1745"
[1] but is more commonly known as "The Battle of Culloden".
Morier thrived during the 1750s under the patronage of the
Duke of Cumberland, the effective commander-in-chief of the British Army. He produced a number of
equestrian portraits, of his patron and other senior officers, as well as his greatest series of works, known as the Grenadier Paintings, which document the uniforms and equipment of the Army in the years leading up to the
Seven Years' War. After the Duke lost his position due to his inept leadership in this new war, Morier's career went into decline. He was jailed for debt in the
Fleet prison in 1769 and died there early the next year.
[2]"
David Morier - Wikipedia
Gus
..., and wasn't he the guy who also got the officers to lighten their kit as well as do their own washing.? A blanket and a "bearskin" blanket was all he wanted them to carry for bedding?
Sorry if I was lazy and merely wrote, "dirk".
