15. DISBANDED, JOHN PETTIE IN THE VICTORIA GALLERY

This painting, called Disbanded, by John Pettie, depicts a scene from the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 to 1746. It shows a Highland Warrior, returning home with his spoils of war, including the distinctive redcoat worn by officers of the Government army. Inspired by the work of historical novelist Sir Walter Scott, Victorian artists like John Pettie helped to create the romantic image of the heroic kilted Highlander. Far from an individual fleeing the battlefield as a member of a defeated force, Pettie recasts the disbanded individual as a noble warrior. Images like these have become the way in which many people visualize Scots and Scotland today. This painting appears to have been inspired by conversations between Pettie and his friend and patron, the Dundee industrialist and art collector James Guthrie Orchar. John Pettie stayed with Orchar in 1877, before spending a long holiday at Callander, in the heart of Scott country. Pettie completed this painting later that same year. The painting was highly regarded and was used to illustrate the 1893 edition of Waverley. It was Scott’s most popular and best-known novel, and was set in the midst of the Jacobite uprising. Disbanded is one of our visitors’ favourite paintings.

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The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum

The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum is situated in the centre of Dundee. The Museum and Art Gallery originally known as the Albert Institute was opened in 1867 as a memorial to Prince Albert. In 2005 The McManus closed for a major refurbishment, reopening again on the 28th February 2010. We celebrated our 150th Anniversay in 2017 with a year of celebration. In 2020 we were awarded Visitor Attraction of the Year by Visit Scotland. The McManus has 8 galleries, which are laid out on 2 floors. Visitors can embark on a journey through 400 million years, and witness how a small settlement developed into the City of Dundee as it is today. From exhibits relating to the life of early man in the area, stunning paintings and decorative art through to artefacts from industries past and present, the City's collections, many of which are recognised as being of national significance, give an insight into Dundee and its people.

 

  • The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum
  • Dundee United Kingdom
  • www.mcmanus.co.uk