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Monarch of the Glen

By Phillippa Dowling

A journey stone tribute to the Monarch of the Glen, one of the most famous British paintings of the 19th century.
Image provided by Phillippa Dowling

I chose to do a stag because I grew up in Ireland watching the TV show Monarch of the Glen and visited my mother's home place of Invergarry often as a child. Now I work on Glenfeshie Estate in the Cairngorms where Sir Edwin Landseer is said to have got his inspiration for this famous painting The Monarch of the Glen. The painting encapsulates the grandeur and majesty of the Scottish Highlands and wildlife.

Many thanks to Phillippa Dowling for sharing with us the story behind her journey stone, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

WHAT IS A JOURNEY STONE?

Prior to the beginning of the stitching of each tapestry panel, each stitcher of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands was tasked with telling their interpretation of the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' within a blank outline of a stone. The possibilities were truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory?

In any case, each journey stone represents the connection between each individual stitcher, their story, and their own sense, or 'spirit', of place. Discover more of the stories behind the journey stones of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands here.