Morning in the Highlands: the royal family ascending Lochnagar

Painted by the Bavarian watercolourist, Carl Haag, this picture shows the Queen and Prince ascending Lochnagar, on the Balmoral estate, accompanied by the royal children, their governess Miss Bulteel and a number of gillies. The snaking procession and the sweep of the Queen's riding habit create a sense of dynamism, while the luminous colouring and unusually large size (the equivalent of many oil paintings) singled it out for particular praise when it went on public display in 1854. Signed and dated bottom left: Carl Haag 1853.