With the approach of the 704th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn this weekend, it is worth re-visiting one of the Smith’s more famous paintings. ‘Bruce and de Bohun’ was painted by artist John Duncan (1866 – 1945) as an entry in the national competition run by Kelvingrove Art Gallery for works to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the battle in 1914. The work of the prize-winning artist John Hassall which hangs in Kelvingrove today was highly unpopular and condemned as ‘the False Bannockburn’, the choice of scene being the prayers before the battle.
Duncan chose an episode from 23 June. Artists have tackled this subject again and again, perhaps because it is so graphically described by the poet John Barbour (1320-95) in his epic poem, The Bruce. Immediately before the Battle, the English knight Sir Henry de Bohun challenged King Robert, thinking because he looked insignificant on his small grey horse, he could kill him. Bruce killed de Bohun with one stroke of his battle axe. The artist has depicted carefully the costume and heraldic tributes of the two warriors.
John Duncan exhibited at the Smith and gave a talk on ‘Painting Today’ in 1938. Knowing how important Bannockburn is to the history of Stirling and Scotland, he bequeathed this work to the Smith.
Comments(6)
Jerry Bruce says
30th May 2021 at 6:33 AMWhile Bannock Burn was one of Scotland’s greatest victories I’ve heard it said this was a work of fiction. That the single combat never occurred. I’ve tried to find out but it goes both ways. Would love to know.
Iain Morrison says
25th January 2024 at 11:57 AMWrong
Luca Sutherland says
9th February 2024 at 2:39 PMLir
Aipple says
18th July 2024 at 10:14 PMBannock burn was a major defeat for the major super power at the time………in the words of the Scots national anthem , tae send them homeward tae think again………..these people were giants. Scots are not scared to fight. Remember that
arthur mcclench says
10th December 2024 at 3:39 AMIf there were such things as super powers at that time, they would have been the Mamluq sultanate of Egypt who in 1260 had checked the expansion of the massive Mongol empire that stretched from China to Hungary. and in 1291 captured the last Crusader outpost at Acre,- while in the wings was the rising power of the Osmanli Turks whose Ottoman empire would rival the Mamluq, and Mongols and eventually rule Cairo, Constantinople and Budapest. and almost captured Vienna three times. Western Europe, a patchwork of warring kingdoms, could only boast the Holy Roman Empire which was neither holy, Roman, nor an empire.
Cordially..
arthur mcclench says
10th December 2024 at 3:54 AMThe story appears in John Barbour’s poem ‘Bruce’ written fifty years after the event and with events certainly embroidered for effect, none better or more famously than the combat with de Bohun. The contemporary ‘Vita Edwardi describes Bohun’s death more plainly, the key detail being that de Bohun was not attacking but retreating:
…”approaching Stirling Castle, the Scots were seen straggling under the trees as if in flight, and a certain knight, Henry Bohun, pursued them with the Welsh to the edge of the wood. For he had in mind that if he found Robert Bruce there he would either kill him or carry him off captive. But when he had come there, Robert himself came suddenly out of his hiding place in the wood, and the said Henry seeing that he could not resist the crowd of Scots, turned his horse intending to return to his companions; but Robert opposed him and struck him on the head with an axe that he carried in his hand. His squire, trying to protect or rescue his lord, was overwhelmed by the Scots…”