James Hall Cranstoun
Ferry of the Loaf
1905

About the Item

'Ferry of the Loaf' comes from the legendary tale of Thane of Fife, MacDuff, escaping the fury of MacBeth crossing the River Tay in the 11th century. The painting comes with a handwritten note verso giving the location as the River Tay near Seggiedur. Presented in an ornate period gilt frame with 'Ferry of the Loaf' on the frame plate. Signed lower left, and dated 1905, this is an oil on canvas painting by James Hall Cranstoun (1821-1907), painted in the later years of this Scottish artist's life. The Story of the 'Ferry of the Loaf' is about the Thane of Fife escaping Macbeth's fury by offering all he had, only a loaf of bread, to be ferried across the Tay River and to safety. The ferryman accepted, the Thane escaped, returned to his castle then travelled onward by boat to meet the rightful King of Scotland, Malcolm. Along with the story, the ship crosses to the other side of the River with the Castle on the right, giving MacDuff enough time to prepare for his onward journey to England. James Hall Cranstoun was born in Edinburgh in 1821 and studied at the Slade School of Art and in Dundee. He later moved to Perth in 1849 to take a post in Glenalmond College as Art Master. He set up a Drawing Academy, though he was best known for his oil landscape paintings. He was an organizer of Perth Fine Art Exhibition in 1883, and exhibited there. His work is represented in Scottish Museums and Galleries, especially Perth Museum and Art Gallery. The Tay River runs through Perthshire to Dundee widening and flowing into the North Sea. Sight dimensions are 24" high and 35.5" wide. The impressive frame is 3" deep and 6" from the edge of the canvas. 'Ferry of the Loaf' was acquired in Scotland and imported to North Carolina by Saltire Gallerie. Restoration for damage in shipment was completed by Saltire Gallerie. The painting is now in overall very good condition in a fine and decorative period gilt frame. This is a painting with a story and a historical point of view, besides being a fine and beautiful artwork of a good size and deep frame. It will make an impression! With a great story to tell. Ready to hang!

Creator:

James Hall Cranstoun (1821 - 1907, Scottish)

Creation Year:

1905

Dimensions:

Height: 23.75 in (60.33 cm)Width: 35.5 in (90.17 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)

Medium:

Canvas,Oil

Movement & Style:

Naturalistic

Period:

1900-1909

Condition:

This painting has been cleaned and a canvas stretch area in the sky has been restored by Saltire Gallerie. There is a patch on the back from the restoration. Now in very good condition. Ready to hang!

Gallery Location:

Hillsborough, NC

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU2069211646672

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