Description
The story of the Disruption: the people, the dramatic events and the famous painting.
"a comprehensive and highly readable account ... We learn much about the times, the context both political and religious, and particularly the struggles to establish the new Free Kirk. A great yarn with plenty of dramatic and often very touching moments." Studies in Photography, 2006
"I recommend this book and hope it encourages its readers to explore further the rich literature of the nineteenth century." Iain D. Gill, The Monthly Record
A ‘snapshot’ of the single most important moment in 19th-century Scottish history. This book is based on an extraordinary painting by David Octavius Hill of the Disruption – a now half-forgotten schism in the Church that was so divisive in Scottish society and so explosive that it shaped Scotland as we know it today. It involved all the ‘movers and shakers’ of the 19th century. It was a watershed in Scottish history. The ‘big picture’ depicts individuals present in amazing detail, and the personal stories of many of them are enthrallingly told in the book. The painting took 20 years to finish, using the fledgling techniques of photography for reference.
The pacy, enthralling style of the book captures the stories of real lives at this dramatic time – when religion was the anchor of most people – in a way that is totally absorbing. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Scotland or in the pioneering methods used by the artist.
See History and biography category for more titles.
- Enthralling personal stories that take you straight back to 1843
- Fold-out picture of the painting