Iconic painting The Monarch of the Glen to be displayed across Scotland

The 1851 oil-on-canvas painting of a red deer stag The Monarch of the Glen by Edwin Landseer has been described as encapsulating the majesty of Scotland’s highlands and wildlife. The painting is Landseer's best known work and depicts a ‘royal’ or twelve point stag, which is a reference to the number of points on its antlers.  The setting is said to have been in Glen Affric (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Afraig), which is amongst the most beautiful in Scotland and located within the Highlands National Nature Reserve. This is a glen that is some 15 miles (24 km) to the west of Loch Ness (Loch Nis) in the Scottish Highlands.

The Monarch of the Glen has been on long-term loan to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh for the previous 20 years, but was set to come onto the open market for the first time in 100 years. However, it was withdrawn from Christie’s in London after the owners made a deal to sell it to the National Galleries of Scotland for less than half its £10 million valuation. The painting has now been saved for the Scottish nation and plans have been made for a nationwide tour between October and May. The painting will be displayed in Perth, Paisley, Inverness and Kirkcudbright.

Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament Fiona Jane Hyslop applauded the decision and said: “This tour will support people of all ages and backgrounds across Scotland to access and enjoy this iconic painting in their own communities, and will hopefully inspire those who see it to seek out further opportunities to engage in culture and the arts.”