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Actions Displays	The Stirling Wolf Remove from selection Add to selection Reproduction Download mediaDownload as zip file Object number19806.51 TitleThe Stirling Wolf CreatorAnon DescriptionThe wolf was part of Scotland’s natural landscape until hunted to extinction many centuries ago. It appears in myths, stories and on enigmatic Pictish carved stones. And while we don’t know by whom or exactly when this painting of a wolf was created, we do know it decorated the Tolbooth in the 18th century. Like Rome, we have our own beastly legend – the Stirling wolf! The story dates from the 9th century when the Vikings were on the move around northern Europe. Stirling was even then an important place, gateway to the Highlands and the lowest crossing point on the River Forth. Constantly exploring, looking for new lands to invade and to settle, the Vikings ventured up the Forth towards Stirling. Poised to attack the sleeping town, they were sniffed out by a pack of wolves lurking on one of the craigs. Their howling woke the whole town, sending the Vikings running in fright and leading to the wolf being adopted as a lucky symbol. The wolf soon appeared on important buildings and on Burgh objects like the town seal and the Stirling Jugs. Take a walk around the city today and you can see the Stirling Wolf featured on weather-vanes and on sculptures – and of course it rears proudly on the Council’s coat of arms. Production period18th Century (early) Object namePainting, Oil Painting Painting MaterialOil/Canvas Dimensions image Height: 364 mm image Width: 892 mm

Reproduction

Download mediaDownload as zip file

Object number19806.51

TitleThe Stirling Wolf

CreatorAnon

DescriptionThe wolf was part of Scotland’s natural landscape until hunted to extinction many centuries ago. It appears in myths, stories and on enigmatic Pictish carved stones. And while we don’t know by whom or exactly when this painting of a wolf was created, we do know it decorated the Tolbooth in the 18th century. Like Rome, we have our own beastly legend – the Stirling wolf! The story dates from the 9th century when the Vikings were on the move around northern Europe. Stirling was even then an important place, gateway to the Highlands and the lowest crossing point on the River Forth. Constantly exploring, looking for new lands to invade and to settle, the Vikings ventured up the Forth towards Stirling. Poised to attack the sleeping town, they were sniffed out by a pack of wolves lurking on one of the craigs. Their howling woke the whole town, sending the Vikings running in fright and leading to the wolf being adopted as a lucky symbol. The wolf soon appeared on important buildings and on Burgh objects like the town seal and the Stirling Jugs. Take a walk around the city today and you can see the Stirling Wolf featured on weather-vanes and on sculptures – and of course it rears proudly on the Council’s coat of arms.

Production period18th Century (early)

Object namePainting, Oil Painting

Painting

MaterialOil/Canvas

Dimensions

image Height: 364 mm
image Width: 892 mm