View near Duddingston Loch 

David Allan likely painted this view near Duddingston Loch with oils on canvas during the late 18th century. Immediately striking is the horizontal composition, a vast expanse of land depicted under a broad sky, evoking a sense of openness and melancholy. Allan orchestrates space through subtle tonal modulations, creating depth and distance. Note the artist's use of light, which serves not merely to illuminate but to structure the composition. Soft, diffused light across the sky enhances the subdued palette of browns, greens, and greys, reinforcing the somber, reflective mood. This aesthetic choice reflects the broader philosophical interest in the sublime—a concept explored by thinkers like Edmund Burke—which emphasizes feelings of awe and insignificance in the face of nature's immensity. The subdued colours and the painting's overall structure invite us to consider the relationship between human presence and the natural world, reflecting a cultural moment when landscape painting became a vehicle for expressing national identity and philosophical contemplation.