Drawing Room at Mar Lodge, Parish of Craithe and Braemar, Aberdeenshire 1855 - 1865

This watercolor painting depicts the drawing room at Mar Lodge in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The anonymous artist invites us into a space that is both domestic and performative, reflecting the cultural rituals of the elite. At first glance, the room appears to be a tranquil sanctuary, with its plush furnishings and a woman playing the piano. But look closer, and you’ll notice the walls are adorned with hunting trophies, mounted deer heads, emblems of power and conquest that speak to a history of land ownership and privilege. The trophies represent a very specific kind of masculinity. How do these symbols of dominance coexist with the feminine space of the drawing room? The artist positions us to consider the intersection of gender, class, and the environment. It's an uneasy harmony, one that hints at the complex dynamics underlying the veneer of aristocratic life.