In the words of Victorian author, Amelia Murray MacGregor:
Lachlan MacPherson and Ewan MacPherson: Lachlan MacPherson wears a kilt and plaid of Dress Macpherson and Ewan Macpherson a kilt and plaid of Hunting MacPherson. The landscape background shows Craig Dhu (Creag Dhubh), on the Spey, Badenoch, Inverness-shire. MacLeay thought, when he despatched this completed watercolour on 24 November 1867, that the sitters were the 'finest men' yet taken for the series: 'The one fair, by name Lachlan MacPherson 6 feet 3 inches in height - he was Champion of Scotland all Athletic Sports - in the Picture he holds the Old Green Banner of the Clan, which was borne thro' all the rising of 1745 & is now preserved at Cluny Castle. The other man is Ewan MacPherson dark as a Spaniard, he stands 6 feet 2 and carries the Target made in France for Prince Charles Edward before he came to Scotland, and presented by him after Culloden to Cluny's Ancestor. Ewan Mohr (as he is called) carried this Target as right hand man of the MacPherson Clan, on the occasion of Her Majesty's Second visit to Scotland, at Loch Laggan'. On that occasion the Illustrated London News was more cynical than patriotic about the historic standard: 'The Highlanders alleged that every hole it showed was the effect of a bullet or sword blow, but I suspect that damp and moths had more to do with its dilapidated condition than either steel or lead.' The targe is now in the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh. A second version at Warwick Castle was said to have been destroyed by fire in 1871 but the original silver ornamentation survives. The targe has a repousse, head of Medusa in the centre surrounded by arms and grotesques. Exhibited: Royal Scottish Academy.
A percentage of proceeds from the sale of this print is donated to The Scottish Tartans Authority.