Bannerman (untitled c. 1861)

This picture is by a patient about whom there are only sketchy details. His paintings were collected by Dr W. A. F. Browne when he was serving as a Commissioner of Lunacy and visiting asylums throughout Scotland. On the back of one of his drawings, Browne has written: ‘The production of I [or it may be J] Bannerman now in Elgin Asylum, formerly Millholme, Musselburgh. He had commenced an apprenticeship as an Engineer in Oban when Mania occurred. It was attributed to evil practices and was followed by stupidity and dullness. He is now regarded as convalescent. This series and a vast number of smaller attempts were executed during insanity’. Browne commented on Bannerman's work in his article on ‘Mad Artists’: ‘In three of the productions, representing spots and transactions in the Highlands and imbued with the most brilliant and blazing colours, the story is merely stupid and Quixotic’.

Thanks to Morag Williams, Archivist to NHS Dumfries and Galloway, Solway House, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries.