Discussing a Catch of Salmon in a Scottish Fishing-Lodge
Date:
ca. 1840
Materials & Techniques:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
38 x 50 3/4 inches (96.5 x 128.9 cm)
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1993.30.28
Gallery Label:
This group of gentlemen has gathered in a rustic fishing lodge in the Scottish Highlands to discuss the day’s catch: a basket of gleaming, iridescent dead salmon. The river visible through the window reveals the source of their sport. At this time, rod fishing for salmon in Scotland’s rivers and lochs—renowned as one of the finest salmon fishing locations in the world—developed as a popular sporting activity. Displayed around them are the tools and trappings of their favored pastime: rods, reels, lines, and hooks. The artist’s delight in rendering the materials around them (fur, hair, silk, feathers, brass, wood, and leather) evokes the tactile, visceral dimension of fishing and the experience of physical connection to nature enjoyed in the pursuit of one’s catch. Gallery label for Love, Life, Death, and Desire: An Installation of the Center's Collections (Yale Center for British Art, 202011-01 – 2021-02-28)