This eerie painting was inspired by William Nicholson's poem 'The Brownie of Blednoch' first published in 1825 in the Dumfries Magazine. It was commissioned by Hornel's friend Malcolm Harper to illustrate a book of poetry entitled The Bards of Galloway (1889).
Following the poem, Hornel shows the terrifying form of Aiken-drum with his glaring eyes, 'lang blue beard', 'knotted knees' and three-clawed hands that 'trailed on the grun' [ground]'. He sits on the hillside beside Blednoch stream where he guards the locals' sheep. Witches on broomsticks fly overhead and a skull leers behind him.
O had ye seen the bairns' fright As they stared at this wild and unyirthly wight As he stauket in 'tween the dark and the light And graned out, "Aiken-drum!"
There were many legends about brownies, witches, fairies and ghosts in Dumfries & Galloway. Brownies were said to be very hard working and would do any work for a bowl of cream, but if old clothes were laid out for them they would leave in distress and never return. Hornel was fascinated by the Celtic myths and folk tales of Kirkcudbright and the surrounding area.
The moon in this painting resembles the mysterious cup-and-ring marks found in the Galloway countryside. They also inspired The Druids - Bringing in the Mistletoe which Hornel painted with Henry a year later. Hornel had a cast made of the High Banks cup and ring markings for the Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright. Originally the painting was in a grained wood frame carved with Celtic symbols and the title, 'THE BROWNIE'.
Credit: Purchased, 1945