Portrait of William Wallace (fl. 1274-1305) in the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Stirling
Inscribed GVL: WALLAS.SCOTVS.HOSTIVM.TERROR
William Wallace the Scot, terror of the enemies
This is one of the iconic portraits of William Wallace, whose victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge (11 September 1297) liberated Scotland from English occupation. It is one of a handful of extant early portraits, and was part of a scheme of plasterwork and portraits installed in Niddrie Marshall House in 1661-2 by the Wauchope family. The painting was listed in family inventories of 1707, 1711 and
1715. In the 1720s, when the house was redecorated, and three rooms made into a large dining room, the portrait was given its enlarged surround of a martial trophy, and re-sited in pride of place above the new dining room fireplace. It remained there until Niddrie Marshall House was abandoned in the 1950s. The house was set on fire and demolished in 1957.
An engraving of the portrait was commissioned by the patriot James Paterson for the book, Wallace and His Times, (1858), which remained in print for 50 years.
Engraved by J. C. Armytage, it is the image through which most people knew Wallace in the nineteenth century. The iconography comes from the description of Wallace in the medieval epic poem by Blind Harry composed c1477. Poet Adam MacNaughtan in his fund-raising poem for the painting describes it thus:
The image of brave Wallace leapt from Blind Harry’s page And oor limner’s skeely portrait gave focus to the age But this nae Braveheart Wallace, on slaughter solely bent This visage framed in chestnut curls is thoughtful and intent.
The story of William Wallace is of central importance to the history of Stirling and of Scotland. No contemporary portrait of him is extant, but artists in later centuries sought to interpret his spirit. This significant early picture is important not only in the iconography of Wallace, but in the history of Scottish interior decoration
Historical research by Michael Donnelly
Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Stirling
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Unknown artist
Date: 1661-1720
Image Details
Date: 29 March 2026
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/25s
ISO: 320
Licensing: Image of a Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum asset. This image cannot be licensed.