Redgauntlet and Steenie (Walter Scott), a watercolour by John Cawse 1831

CAWSE, John (1770–1862). Redgauntlet and Steenie. (1831)
 
Watercolour on paper, 280 x 230 mm. Signed, lined and dated in ink on the verso “Sir John Redgauntlet & Steenie” with a contemporary transcription of a passage from Sir Walter Scott’s Redgauntlet (1824). Some light age toning and minor surface wear, edges with old mounting remnants; overall in very good condition.
 
A watercolour by John Cawse illustrating a scene from “Wandering Willie’s Tale”, the inset story within Scott’s Redgauntlet. The composition shows Sir John Redgauntlet seated, questioning the tenant Steenie Steenson about rent which Steenie claims to have paid to Redgauntlet’s father shortly before his death. With no receipt and no record of payment, Steenie is accused of withholding the money, and under pressure replies that it lies “in Hell… with your father and his silver whistle”.
 
In the tale, Steenie had indeed paid the rent to the elder Redgauntlet, but fled in fear at the moment of his death and obtained no receipt. After being accused by the son, he is drawn into a supernatural episode in which he encounters the dead laird, silver whistle in hand and his company in a castle near the existing one. He is asked to play the bag pipes whilst the apparitions jig and make merry, but instead he secures proof of payment. The present scene represents the initial confrontation between Steenie and Sir John, immediately before the narrative turns to this ghostly resolution.
 
A signed, lined and dated watercolour by a known exhibiting artist and author, in relation to Walter Scott's Redgauntlet. Cawse is perhaps best known for his book "the art of painting portraits" published shortly after this in 1840.