|
The Visit of George IV
In 1822, George IV became the first British monarch to visit Scotland
since Charles II in 1660. Sir Walter Scott, a major preserver of Scottish
identity, had suggested "Let every man wear his tartan", which
caused a very practical and hasty search to identify and manufacture patterns
for every name. Some Chiefs created quite a show and the whole event became a
recognition of uniquely Scottish cultural forms.
James Logan
The Highland Society subsidised an important piece of independent research, which led after five years research to the publication of James Logan's
book The Scottish Gael or Celtic Manners, as Preserved among the Highlanders
(1831).
|
 |
Whilst Logan had been on the tartan trail in the Highlands, he requested
tartans with clan and family names from Wilson's and used many of the Highland
Society specimens. The work has become the best finished recording of Highland
clan tartans.
Robert Ranald MacIan
MacIan was an artist who tried to capture the feeling of Highland Dress
as worn, portraying tartan patterns on the garments. He collaborated with
his friend and colleague, James Logan, who wrote a significant text to accompany
each illustration published in 1845 and 1847. Some new tartans appeared
in the work and have become established designs. The book, called The
Clans of the Scottish Highlands is interesting as the first clan encyclopaedia,
attempting to collect historic, heraldic and tartan information.
Continued: More on the 19th Century
|
