610: Bàs an Daimh (3)
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Bàs an Daimh (3)
Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun robh Francis Humberston MacCoinnich a’ dol a chur an deilbh ainmeil a dh’òrdaich e – Bàs an Daimh – an-àirde ann an Caisteal Bhrathainn ann an Siorrachd Rois. Bidh cuimhne agaibh gu bheil an dealbh, a chaidh a dhèanamh ann an seachd ceud deug, ochdad ’s a sia (1786), a’ sealltainn tùsair Clann ’ic Coinnich, Cailean Fitzgerald, a’ sàbhaladh beatha Rìgh na h-Alba, Alasdair III.
Tro na naochadan dhen ochdamh linn deug (1790an), ge-tà, bhathar a’ leasachadh Caisteal Bhrathainn. Agus dh’fhuirich an dealbh mòr iongantach, a tha a-nise ann an Gailearaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba, ann an Lunnainn airson còrr is trithead bliadhna. Bha e ann an stiùidio an fhir a pheant e, Benjamin West. Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun robh e air a roiligeadh suas fad cuid mhath dhen ùine sin.
Ann an ochd ceud deug, fichead ’s a h-aon (1821), bliadhna às dèidh bàs West, chaidh an dealbh a ghluasad gu tuath. Bha e ann an Caisteal Bhrathainn gu naoi ceud deug, caogad ’s a dhà (1952) nuair a chaidh an caisteal a leagail. Chaidh an dealbh a ghluasad an uair sin gu Talla Baile na Cananaich is Ros Mhaircnidh. Tha mi a’ tuigsinn gun robhar a’ cluich badminton aig amannan anns an talla far an robh e crochte!
Anns na h-ochdadan, cho-dhùin oighrean nan Sìophortach gun robh aca ri a reic. Chaidh e gu rùp ann an Lunnainn. ’S e Gailearaidh Nàiseanta nan Ealain ann am Washington DC a cheannaich e airson prìs mhath – còrr is leth-mhillean not. Bha Bàs an Daimh a’ fàgail na dùthcha dhan do rinneadh e. Bha e a’ dol don dùthaich anns an do rugadh am fear a pheant e. ’S ann à Pennsylvania a bha Benjamin West.
Ach cha b’ e sin deireadh an sgeòil. Leis gun robh e cho luachmhor mar phìos ealain, chuir Riaghaltas Bhreatainn stad air bho bhith a’ dol a-null thairis. An uair sin, chaidh a cheannach le Gailearaidhean Nàiseanta na h-Alba. Bha àite air a ghleidheadh dha ann an Gailearaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ann an Dùn Èideann. Ach bha an dealbh cho mòr, agus bha e air a bhith air a roiligeadh uiread, ’s gun do rinneadh co-dhùnadh gum biodh air e a chrochadh anns a’ ghailearaidh agus gur ann an sin fhèin a bhiodh an glèidheadair ag obair air nuair a bhiodh obair gleidhidh a dhìth air.
Agus bha obair gleidhidh a dhìth air. Thòisich i ann an dà mhìle ’s a ceithir (2004). B’ fheudar don ghlèidheadair sracadh sa chanabhas a chàradh. Agus b’ fheudar dha faighinn cuidhteas bhàrnais a bha thairis air a h-uile nì. Bha tòrr ath-pheantadh mionaideach a dhìth air an dealbh. Rinn an glèidheadair an obair anns a’ ghailearaidh agus bha cothrom aig a’ phoball sùil a thoirt air fhad ’s a bha e ga dèanamh.
Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun robh ìomhaighean snaighte àrsaidh ann an ceann West nuair a dhealbhaich e an dealbh – rudan mar An Gall a’ Bàsachadh anns an Ròimh agus Fear-sabaid Bhorghese anns an Louvre ann am Paris. Agus thathar a’ dèanamh dheth, a thaobh stoidhle peantaidh, gun tàinig West gu mòr fo bhuaidh Rubens. Ge bith dè an fhìrinn a th’ ann a thaobh sin, tha an dealbh iongantach. Mholainn gun toir sibh sùil air an ath thuras a tha sibh ann an Dùn Èideann.
Faclan na Litreach: Bàs an Daimh: The Death of the Stag; Siorrachd Rois: Ross-shire; rùp: auction; glèidheadair: conservator; am poball: the populace; ìomhaighean snaighte àrsaidh: ancient sculptures.
Abairtean na Litreach: an-àirde ann an Caisteal Bhrathainn: up in Brahan Castle; tùsair Clann ’ic Coinnich: the progenitor of the MacKenzie clan; ann an Lunnainn airson còrr is trithead bliadhna: in London for more than thirty years; thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun robh e air a roiligeadh suas:it’s thought it was rolled up; fad cuid mhath dhen ùine sin: for a good portion of that time; chaidh an dealbh a ghluasad gu tuath: the painting was moved north; nuair a chaidh an caisteal a leagail: when the castle was levelled; Talla Baile na Cananaich is Ros Mhaircnidh: The Fortrose and Rosemarkie Town Hall; gun robhar a’ cluich badminton aig amannan anns an talla far an robh e crochte:that badminton was being played at times in the hall where it was hung; cho-dhùin oighrean nan Sìophortach:the heirs of the Seaforths decided; gun robh aca ri a reic: that they had to sell it; còrr is leth-mhillean not:more than half a million pounds; anns an do rugadh am fear a pheant e: in which the man who painted it was born; deireadh an sgeòil:the end of the story; luachmhor mar phìos ealain: valuable as a piece of art; bha e air a bhith air a roiligeadh uiread:it had been rolled up so much; bha obair gleidhidh a dhìth air: it need conservation work; sracadh sa chanabhas a chàradh:to repair a tear in the canvas; b’ fheudar dha faighinn cuidhteas bhàrnais a bha thairis air a h-uile nì:he had to get rid of varnish that covered everything; An Gall a’ Bàsachadh: The Dying Gaul; gun tàinig West gu mòr fo bhuaidh Rubens: that West came strongly under the influence of Rubens.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bha tòrr ath-pheantadh mionaideach a dhìth air an dealbh:much touching up was required on the painting. Why have I not inflected ath-pheantadh here? One might expect it to be a genitive singular form following the noun tòrr ie slenderized. Without the adjective that would be the case viz tòrr ath-pheantaidh . But with an adjective and no article, the general modern trend is not to inflect a masculine noun in the genitive singular (and the adjective follows the noun). A good exemplar to remember the rule by is geansaidh balaich (a boy’s jumper) but geansaidh balach beag (a wee boy’s jumper). Note this is only in the indefinite – with the article we’d say geansaidh a’ bhalaich bhig (the wee boy’s jumper).
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Mholainn gun toir sibh sùil air: I [would] recommend that you take a look at it.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 306
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