Scottish Lovers

1866, artist Daniel Maclise sold to Mr. Smith; possibly by descent to the Domenico family; Mr. Domenico; gifted to his wife, Mrs. Domenico, on the occasion of their wedding; passed through inheritance to their daughter Martha Domenico Olson (Winter Springs, FL); by gift or passed through inheritance to her husband, James A. Olson; 1986 acquired by an unknown private collector (New York); 1993, left the collection of this unknown private collector; 1993, G.W. Einstein Company (New York, NY) sold to the Elvehjem Museum of Art [now called Chazen Museum of Art]

• "SchoolsMusuemsART (SMART) Project." Madison, WI: Madison Metropolitan School District, 2002.
• Casteras, Susan P. "Victorian Vignettes: Daniel Maclise's 'Scottish Lovers' and Marie Spartali Stillman's 'La Pensierosa'." Bulletin/Biennial Report 1995-1997. Elvehjem Museum of Art (1997): 20-40. pp. 29-40
• Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Bulletin/Annual Report 1993-1995." Madison: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1995. p. 100
• Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Artscene." Vol. 10, No. 3, June /July/ August 1994. p. 3

• Golden Age of British Watercolors 1790-1910, The: Chazen Museum of Art, 9/22/2012–12/2/2012

This is a detailed oil painting depicting an intimate moment between two young people in a lush, wooded setting. The couple is nestled at the base of a large tree trunk, framed by a canopy of vibrant green leaves overhead. The youthful figure on the left has rosy-red cheeks and short, curly hair. This individual wears traditional Scottish Highland attire, including a black shirt with a brown sash, a green plaid kilt, and a white goat-hair sporran. This figure kneels, leaning their face close to the tree trunk, into which they are carving with a knife held in their right hand. To the right sits another figure, intently watching the carving. This individual has long brown hair styled in a low bun and wears gold earrings. They wear a long, grey fur coat over a darkly colored opalescent dress with a white collar, and a colorful scarf tied at the neck. This figure holds an open sketchbook on a knee. The foreground is rich with detail, including a set of bagpipes lying on the ground alongside a leafy green fern. To the right, resting on the mossy tree roots, are an open watercolor kit, a glass jar filled with water, and a small brown dog lying next to a black leather satchel. The scene is framed by the abundant green leaves of the tree and the lush foliage of ferns and other plants. On the right, the background reveals a stream cascading over rocks, adding to the natural atmosphere. The overall mood is intimate and romantic, rendered in a realistic, detailed style.

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