Talk:R. R. McIan

Latest comment: 13 years ago by Brianann MacAmhlaidh in topic Rewrite

Rewrite edit

I've done my best to rewrite the article from scratch. There's obviously a few key points missing, like when did he move from Bath/Bristol to London - presumably this was eloping with Fanny, from her age it must have been in the early 1830s. Ditto the wedding date. I assume there must be a portrait of him somewhere, and it would be nice to replace the second clansman with an example of both his domestic and military paintings. Think it's important to keep the MacDonald though, as his own clan that one will have been close to his heart. It would obviously be much easier with a copy of the Morse book!!! More generally, it could do with more "art history" stuff, which is something I don't know much about. Le Deluge (talk) 15:38, 1 May 2010 (UTC)Reply

I just noticed that the DNB doesn't actually say he born in Scotland; it doesn't even state that he was originally from Scotland either. It's almost like the romanticism and tartanry he helped popularise, has not only somewhat skewed our perception of the Highlanders, but has also masked the precise details of his own life! Those silly Victorians.--Brianann MacAmhlaidh (talk) 08:23, 12 November 2010 (UTC)Reply
From memory it's fairly widely supported by the other sources though, he was described as Scottish or a Highlander by the London theatre community - although it wouldn't be the first time that someone from eg Glasgow say was assumed to be a romantic Highlander by the Sassenachs. Le Deluge (talk) 11:13, 12 November 2010 (UTC)Reply
Yep, I've seen Lord Macaulay described as a Highlander too. I found a ref for McIan's Scottish-birth and plugged it into the article.--Brianann MacAmhlaidh (talk) 20:28, 13 November 2010 (UTC)Reply