John Frederick Herring Snr.

Ian MacNicol, Glasgow;
Private collection

Original canvas. The work appears in good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals an opaque varnish. There appear to be some small retouchings along the extreme edges, in the mountains in the background and some further isolated flecks elsewhere. Held in a gilt plaster frame, in ready to hang condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Herring was one of the finest animal painters of the 19^th century, patronised by some of the most prestigious patrons of his age, including Queen Victoria. Up until the 1850s, Herring’s fame rested mainly on his racing subjects. The first-known Scottish work would appear to be Highland Scene, 1834 (Oliver Beckett, J F Herring & Sons, 1981, General list of paintings, no. 75, p. 105). However, most of his Highland subjects date from the 1850s. Queen Victoria had made her first visit to the Highlands in 1842 and by the 1850s everything Scottish became exceedingly fashionable, which may have prompted Herring to enlarge his repertoire to include more Highland subjects. The resulting pictures included The Haltof 1852, a large work featuring a hunting party, with their hounds and two stags strapped to ponies, pausing on their way home from a successful day’s stalking (Sotheby’s, Gleneagles, August 2002, lot 1049 sold for £523,650). 

In the Highlands depicts a tense moment on a stalking expedition: a sportsman, shown crawling along a high rocky outcrop, has aimed at a stag hidden from view beyond the picture’s edge. Herring captures the moment of fire, signalled by a small puff of smoke rising from his shotgun. A few feet behind him further down the mountain ledge, a gillie anxiously crouches, following the line of sight of the gun. He is holding back two deerhounds, one of which is straining on the leash, while a second, sitting by his side with ears cocked and head raised, follows the same line of sight. The head and shoulders of a boy can be seen further down the mountain behind the central figure of the gillie, watching the drama unfold. In the far distance a snowy mountain peak rises as if to accentuate the wildness of the landscape that is the habitat of the stag.