Details

Object type

painting

Title

Death of Burd Ellen

Artist/Maker

John Faed

Culture/School

Scottish

Date

circa 1860

Materials

oil on canvas

Dimensions

framed: 570 mm x 487 mm x 99 mm;unframed: 292 mm x 216 mm

Description

‘Burd’ is an old Scots word for a young lady. The subject of this painting comes from the anonymous 17th century ballad, ‘Fair Helen of Kirkconnel’, which was published by Walter Scott in vol. 2 of The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (three volumes, 1802–03). It tells the tragic story of Helen Irving, who, walking with lover Fleeming along River Kirtle, was shot protecting him from a jealous rival Bell. The painting shows her dying in Fleeming’s arms.

!T!‘Curst be the heart that thought the thought,

!T!And curst the hand that fired the shot

!T!When in my arms burd Helen dropt,

!T!And died to succour me.’

In the background of the painting the figure of a man can be seen crossing a bridge. There are various versions of the ballad. In one Fleeming crosses the river and kills Bell with his sword; in another Bell flees abroad, followed by Fleeming who kills him near Madrid. Both end with Fleeming returning and dying on Helen’s grave.

Faed’s interest in historical costume can be seen in the slashed blue and red doublet and cloak that Fleeming wears. Around 1857 he was sent a trunk of historical costumes from Joseph Tussaud to use as props. The detailed observation of foreground plants show the influence of Ruskin and Pre-Raphaelitism, but the detail and small scale of this work also remind us that he began his career as a self-taught painter of portrait miniatures; he went on to study at the Trustees Academy in Edinburgh. The Art Journal wrote: ‘We know of no artist in modern times who exhibits such a manipulative power - every square inch seems a work of time’. This particular work may be the painting Fair Helen which was exhibited at the RSA in 1863.

Bequeathed by Thomas D Smellie, 1901

Credit Line/Donor

Bequeathed by Thomas D Smellie, 1901

ID Number

987

Location

Kelvingrove Picture Promenade