Bonnie Prince Charlie 1893

Curator: This is John Pettie’s "Bonnie Prince Charlie," painted in 1893, using oil paints. My first impression is that the subject seems more melancholy than triumphant. Editor: Interesting, especially when we look at the artistic environment that produced this piece, a context where the labor and craftsmanship associated with Scotland was valued but romanticized through tartanry. How do the materials – oil on canvas – and subject matter inform that history? Curator: The choice of oil allows for rich detailing of the tartan, lace, and accessories, drawing on labor associated to Scotland's textile industry; it speaks to both wealth and romantic notions around Scottish heritage that became increasingly popular by the Victorian era. The highlanders are rendered somewhat ambiguously as backdrop. What about you; what resonates? Editor: The Prince appears trapped somehow; almost like he is at the threshold of an unknown moment or perhaps burdened by one. Is he aware of the dangers surrounding him? Pettie paints such emotion into Charlie’s stance and face… that uncertainty draws you in, no? I feel the artist wants you to sympathize with the subject while acknowledging his social standing through symbols like fabric quality, as you have said. Curator: He may have chosen oil paints for their historical link to grand portraiture while including a subtle nod towards Scottish industries, to enhance its reception. Editor: I wonder if that decision created distance between the artwork's initial context versus how later generations now interpret its meanings—almost like time creates a unique narrative layer… Curator: Certainly, by examining Pettie's "Bonnie Prince Charlie" through process and materials, a nuanced narrative of Romanticism can emerge within Victorian perceptions. Editor: Yes! Pettie's touch provides context with feeling. Thanks, I’m leaving with some fresh appreciation of my own here.