Mountain Sketches by an Unknown Artist, 1893 - 1926
I have in my collection two sketchbooks by an unknown artist. Clearly, he or she was attracted to mountain scenery, and many are titled which is helpful. The earliest is dated 1893, and the latest 1926. Apart from short visits to Norway and a later one to the Caucasus, the images are entirely Scottish. The sketchbooks bear the label "Charles Roberson & Co., the Artists' Colour Manufactory, 99 Long Acre, London W.C., and at 154 Piccadilly, W". Whether that suggests an English artist, who knows, but they clearly spent some time in Scotland.
The earlier images are of the Cairngorm area.
Cairn Gorm 4090 feet. Rothiemurchus. Glen More. Kinbeachie, 3/4/96. 1 Salmon. 13 1/2? Stepping Stones. [In pencil] Larig Ghrue Pass ?? 2750 feet.
The above sketch is dated 1896, but earlier ones exist.
Strath Avon. 1894. Ben Avon, 3967 feet. 2 Oct 95 2.30 pm. Ben Rinnies, from Green Room, Wester Elchies
The mention of Wester Elchies gives a clue as to where the artist was staying. Wester Elchies is a country house built in 1681, found near Charlestown of Aberlour.
Craig an Morh, Ballindalloch and Ben Avon. 5 Oct. 95 Boat of Garten, Glen Morh [More] & Cairn Gorm & Rothiemurchus. 5/4/96.
Kinsara, Burial place of Dukes of Gordon. Kinbeachie, 12/4/96. From Highland Railway.
Cairngorms 4090 feet. Glen More and Rothiemurchus Forests.
Another almost identical sketch reads Cairngorms 4090 feet. Part of Glenmore & Rothiemurchus Forests from Robertsons East.
Abernethey, Glenmore, Rothiemurchus, Invereshie Forest, Sunday April from Boat of Garten.
Ben Veachie [Vrackie?], Dalnamein An Middak? An Dun? Loch an Dain?
From Meall Ruag ??? Pass into Giaek? Forest.
This, a more southerly Perthshire panorama. Chris McNeill suggests this might be
Am Meadar and Loch an Duin
perhaps viewed from Meal na Spianaig?
Sutherland.
Of greater interest to me, though, is the series of images of the mountains of Assynt, Sutherland, which he or she visited in 1920.
From near Oykel Bridge, Sutherlandshire. Culmore Suilven(The Sugar Loaf) Canisp
The artist was clearly struck by the wonderfully distinct profiles that these isolated mountains present.
Culmore Suilven
Sutherlandshire
Deanich An Sgurr
Allardale & The Cats of Corriemulzie
Inverlael (Karts)
Breemore? & & John McLennan Stalker
Corriemulzie Forests, Ross-shire
The left hand image reveals the landscape in the This pencil sketch is repeated in colour below.
vicinity of Ardgay.
Corriemulzie Forest,
Ross-shire An Sgurr Seana Brough Inverlael, March
??? Estate of Corriemulzie [Seana Bhraigh] Rhiddorroch ? ?
Viewed from Corriemulzie River.
Ben Aronine Dalvina R. Naver Syne Lodge Ben Klibreck
From Langdale, Sutherland
Images by artists of Ben Klibreck and the Naver are rare, even as late as the 1920s.
Ben Loyal
From Poole, Sutherland Evening Oct 1920
Untitled, a view across the moors, probably on the This a familiar view (to me!) with the summit of
road from Altnahara to Tongue Ben Loyal, viewed from the road to Tongue just
before the vista of the Kyle is revealed.
Ben Griam Beg Scarabens Morven Beinn Fuam? More
From Ben Stomino
Langdale, Sutherland.
Looking across the Flow Country further to the east. The highest hillfort in Scotland is found on the top of Ben Griam Beg.
Ben More Ben More Hills of Reay Forest
Assynt Hills Assynt Ben Hope From Langdale, Sutherland,
The Scarabens Carn Mohr The Smean Morven "Cnoc am Eireannaich
from Haledon "An Parph" "The Irishman"
Glutt Lodge, Hills of Langwill
Caithness Deer Forest
Sept/Oct 1926
Back further east again.