BLACKHOUSE ON THE ISLE OF LEWIS, Scottish Art, Oil Painting Of Cottage In Scotland, Historical Art, Painting Of A Scottish Home Painting

This oil painting on archival gesso board, 11 x 14 x 5/8 inches, is a depiction of one of the well preserved houses of a "black house" village on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The people who lived here, from the mid 1800's up until the 1970's were masters of building dry wall. They could put together walls, homes, etc., without using any cement between the stones. Instead they placed the rocks into interlocking positions. They built their homes from stone, thatch, netting, and whatever wood could be found on their rugged, cold and windy island. As many in Scotland still do, they burned peat instead of firewood, since it is in far greater abundance and burns well. The smell of a peat fire burning in the hearth is very distinctive. For some, it is the very scent of home. During the years that this village housed residents, a fire would be kept burning at all times in the central room. The hearth was the heart of the house- providing the heat necessary for cooking, comfort, and life itself. It also had the effect of turning the inside walls and roof of the windowless home a blackish color- hence, the name "black house". A room at one of the end of the house was where livestock was kept to protect them from bad weather in the winter months. This also had the advantage of helping to keep the house warm. The people took very good care of their animals, as their lives depended on each other. The different generations of the family lived together and everyone had their own tasks to perform for the household. The elderly were valued, the children cared for. The feelings of isolation and loneliness- so common in modern societies, must have been felt far less, as everyone had an important role to play and each person was a valued part of the whole. Many of the black houses are in ruins now, but some remain, thanks to the care of historically minded people in Scotland, who value them for the Scottish treasures that they are.