The Skating Minister and Its Legacy
By Ami Melville
Commonly known as The Skating Minister, this painting of Reverend Robert Walker (1755–1808) is a recognizable icon of Scottish history. Created by Sir Henry Raeburn (1756–1823), the work depicts Walker in an effortless pose as he glides along the ice, probably on one of the lochs east of Edinburgh where the Edinburgh Skating Society would gather. Aside from its attribution to the landscape, why has this painting become so significant in Scottish culture?
The Skating Minister was painted during the Scottish Enlightenment – a time of economic growth and increasing value on virtues such as human reason. Scientific developments during the 18th century led to embracement of academia and scholarship throughout Scotland, especially at the ancient universities of St Andrews, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen (the last of which was then known as Kings and Marischal Colleges). Philosophies of rationality and order were spread by Scottish thinkers such as Robert Burns and James Boswell.
As the intellectual landscape of Scotland grew, so did appreciation for biology and zoology in the surrounding area. Many artists began to reflect on Scotland’s natural beauty in their work through detailed forests, rolling fields and mountain ranges. The Skating Minister depicts both this appreciation and the simultaneous value of order. Reverend Walker, in his tightly composed stature, is at one with his surroundings on the ice. His romantic integration with nature conveys the affinity between Scottish ideals and the physical land on which they were founded. The landscape is both serene and characteristic of Scottish weather as the rolling clouds cast a muted tone.
This painting has evidently become a significant artistic indicator of Scottish culture through Raeburn’s clever merging of multiple contemporary values in this work. Additionally, fellow skaters would recognize Reverend Walker’s pose as a difficult one, further emphasizing his respected position in Scottish society. The Skating Minister can be viewed in person at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Bibliography
Raeburn, Sir Henry. “Reverend Robert Walker (1755 - 1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch.” National Galleries of Scotland. Accessed April 5, 2024. https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/5327.
“Gallery.” The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch | Artware Fine Art. Accessed April 5, 2024. https://www.artwarefineart.com/archive/gallery/reverend-robert-walker-skating-duddingston-loch.