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1 of 253523 objects
William Leighton Leitch (1804-83)
A standard-bearer to the Duke of Atholl's Guard dated 28 Sep 1844
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour | 21.4 x 13.5 cm (whole object) | RCIN 919544
William Leighton Leitch (1804-83)
A standard-bearer to the Duke of Atholl's Guard dated 28 Sep 1844
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A watercolour portrait of a soldier standing full-length before a wall, with distant view of moors. The Standard shows a nude half-length man holding a sword and key. The streamer on the Standard bears the Atholl motto: Furth Fortune & Fill the Fetters. Inscribed at right: Blair Castle / Septr. 28 / 1844.
On their second visit to Scotland in September 1844, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed at Blair Castle in Perthshire, the seat of the Duke of Atholl. The Atholl Highlanders formed the Queen's Guard during her visit.
This watercolour is one of a group painted by William Leighton Leitch, who was probably suggested by Charlotte Canning, his pupil and the Queen's lady in waiting, as a suitable artist to invite to paint views of the scenery. Leitch later became Victoria’s own watercolour tutor for almost twenty years.
This watercolour was originally mounted in View Album II. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert compiled nine View Albums during their marriage. These albums contained watercolours and drawings documenting their life together and were arranged in chronological order. The albums were dismantled in the early twentieth century and rebound in new volumes both in a different arrangement and with additional items, but a written record of their original contents and arrangement still exists.
Provenance
Commissioned by Queen Victoria for her View Album
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Creator(s)
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Medium and techniques
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour
Measurements
21.4 x 13.5 cm (whole object)
Category
Object type(s)
