Tradesman's Sign: Highlander 1935 - 1942

This watercolor called "Tradesman's Sign: Highlander" was made by an anonymous artist at an unknown date. It depicts a tradesman's sign, a figure of a highlander in traditional Scottish attire. Tradesman's signs were a common form of advertising in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in urban environments where literacy rates were lower. By employing such figures, tradesmen could visually communicate their trade to a diverse clientele. The choice of a Highlander figure speaks to the cultural associations that were in play at the time. Perhaps the tradesman sought to evoke notions of Scottish craftsmanship, reliability, or exoticism to attract customers. This particular sign embodies the growing commercialization of culture, where national and ethnic identities were used to market goods and services. Studying this artwork could involve researching the history of tradesman's signs and the cultural image of the highlander in the period when it was made. This image underscores that art always exists within a complex web of social, economic, and cultural relations.