Chevy Chace

The composition depicts the aftermath of the Battle of Otterburn, fought in the hunting grounds known as Chevy Chase in the Cheviot Hills along the English-Scottish border. On the 5th or 19th of August 1388, English forces led by Sir Henry Percy (1364–1403), known as Hotspur, clashed with Scottish forces under Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (c. 1358–1388). The commanders of both armies are shown in the foreground as fallen, mourned by surrounding secular and religious figures. In reality, Sir Henry Percy was merely captured at Otterburn and later ransomed. The battle is recounted in the English ballad The Ballad of Chevy Chase, known from various oral traditions. The dedication below the depiction was addressed to George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland (1758–1833) – a politician, British ambassador to Paris, entrepreneur, and patron of the arts, regarded in his time as the richest man in England. Through family connections and his marriage, he acquired extensive lands and benefited from industrial and technical enterprises. On his estates, he extracted numerous raw materials while investing in the development of river and railway transport routes essential for their trade. In 1806, he was honoured with the Order of the Garter. In 1812, he retired from politics to focus on his business ventures and promotion of the arts. He became a trustee of the British Museum and chairman of the British Institution (1805–1867). The engraving was created after an oil painting from 1810–1812 by Edward Bird (1772–1819), a central figure of the Bristol School art group, a member of the Royal Academy, and an artist active at the British royal court, including for Princess Charlotte (1796–1817), daughter of the Prince Regent George IV (1762–1830). The painting The Battle of Chevy Chase, originally part of George Leveson-Gower's collection, is now housed in Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The creator of the engraving, John Young (1755–1825, London), was an English draughtsman, engraver, illustrator, publisher, and printer. Ewa Gwiazdowska