Like the preceding example, the present is based on a painting in
Armadale Castle—a life-size representation of the first Lord Macdonald
of the Isles, dating from about 1765. On the evidence of style the
work is ascribed to Allan Ramsay the younger, who about this period
painted many portraits in tartan costumes, in which, fortunately for
our purpose, he displays as a rule the patterns boldly and brilliantly.
Through the kindness of Lord and Lady Macdonald of the Isles the Editor
had last year an excellent opportunity of obtaining reproductions of
the tartans delineated in their family portraits. The painting in
this case was photographed to a large scale, and afterwards coloured
from the original by an experienced artist (a similar plan being
adopted in the case of Plate I.) From these the silks were woven,
carefully compared with the paintings, and so absolute accuracy of
reproduction secured. Traditionally known as the Lord of the Isles
hunting tartan, the pattern here given appears in the coat, vest, and
kilt of the figure portrayed. The statute against the wearing of the
Highland dress, including tartans, passed in 1747, was operative when
the picture was painted. It may be, however, that as the Macdonalds
of Sleat were adherents of the Government, in name at least, special
indulgence was extended to them. During the greater part of the
present century the design was not rendered in textile fabric, but
recently Lord Macdonald of the Isles had it woven for his use. With
characteristic inaccuracy of colouring, _The Costume of the Clans_
represents the tartan with a predominance of red, though the original
contains no trace of that colour.
[Illustration: II. THE LORD OF THE ISLES: HUNTING]