This very large painting shows several scenes. In the foreground, on the lower left, we see a rocky trail with two tiny figures. The largest part of the painting is devoted to a dramatic view of the loch (a lake, in the Scottish language) surrounded by mountains. The surface of the loch is a thin white band, reflecting the visible rays of the sun penetrating through stormy clouds. The painting seems to evoke the traditional ballad Loch Lomond, of which the refrain is “you’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road, and I’ll be in Scotland afore ye.” The song tells the story of two young soldiers, one of whom is dying and will therefore reach Heaven (for which Scotland is a metaphor) before his friend.
