Research:
Of Scots pine. The square panel of textured burr grain surrounded by a carved floral strapwork border.
Provenance:
Penicuik House, Midlothian
This fascinating panel is likely to be extremely old, perhaps a botanical specimen or a remnant derived from a structure dating from the Middle Ages. The panel employs a large and dynamically figured section of Pinus sylvestris, or Scots pine, Scotland’s national tree and the only pine native to the country and bears the features of burl wood – a type of tree growth (generally an outgrowth on the trunk), in which the grain has developed in an enlarged and knotted manner due to stress on the tree.
The panel belonged to the collection at Penicuick House, Midlothian, Home of the Clerk baronets.
As both a local and medieval timber, the panel was perhaps made for the estate as an exercise in antiquarianism, enhanced by the carved strapwork border recalling Baroque design.
Full research report available on request.