Friday, October 09, 2015

Thomas Hall Tweedy - Tam o'Shanter Wood Carvings, 1860

Thomas Hall Tweedy - 'Witches & Warlocks in a Dance' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (3 of 4) detail 1

Thomas Hall Tweedy - 'Witches & Warlocks in a Dance' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (3 of 4) detail 2

Thomas Hall Tweedy - 'Witches & Warlocks in a Dance' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (3 of 4) detail 3

Thomas Hall Tweedy - 'Witches & Warlocks in a Dance' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (3 of 4)"This carving by Thomas H. Tweedy, c1860, depicts the central scene in the poem Tam o'Shanter, where Tam reaches Kirk Alloway and is stopped in his tracks to watch, in the ruins, a dance of witches.
Tam is shown peering through a window of the Kirk 'amaz'd and curious' while the core of witches and warlocks conduct their dance. Auld Nick is shown seated in the window playing the pipes."

Thomas Hall Tweedy -  'Maggies mettle' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (4 of 4) detail 2

Thomas Hall Tweedy -  'Maggies mettle' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (4 of 4) detail 1

Thomas Hall Tweedy -  'Maggies mettle' from Tam o' Shanter, 1860 (4 of 4)"This carving by Thomas Tweedy, c1860, depicts the closing scene in the poem Tam o' Shanter, where Tam reaches the Brig o' Doon pursued by a 'hellish legion' of witches led by Nannie (Cutty Sark).
Tam is shown on his grey mare Meg at the point of crossing the brig when the tail of his horse is pulled off by the witch who as folklore has it 'a running stream they dare na cross' allowing Tam to escape."


 Here is the first and second carving from the Tam o'Shanter series by Tweedy.

Artworks and quotes taken from the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.

Details on the life of Tweedy can be found here.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

GRANDIOS