Could this be the face of renowned Cromarty geologist, Hugh Miller?
Could this be the face of renowned 19th century Cromarty geologist, Hugh Miller?
Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage and Museum has partnered with Cromarty Arts Trust to reimagine 19th century geologist and writer Hugh Miller and his wife Lydia, bringing them to life with new facial depictions created by award-winning forensic artist Dr Maria Maclennan.
Delivered through Cromarty Arts Trust’s funded artist in residency programme, Reimagining the Millers, aims to promote community engagement and public interest in the life and legacy of Hugh Miller, whose birthplace cottage and museum in Cromarty is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.
Known internationally as “The World’s First Forensic Jeweller,” Dr Maclennan recently completed an MSc in Forensic Art Facial Imaging. She was awarded the prestigious Cromarty Arts Trust Residency Prize and spent a month in Cromarty working at the Cromarty Arts Trust to produce a series of new artworks incorporating artefacts housed at Hugh Miller’s Museum, portraits, and written descriptions.
Drawing inspiration from the forensic-artistic process of post-mortem depiction, a three-dimensional scan of Miller’s death mask was used as a basis in the creation of a hyper-realistic 2D digital colour portrait and a traditional 3D wax sculpture in full colour.
Debbie Reid, visitor services manager at Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage and Museum, was able to take the mask to Dundee and see the scanning process in action. She said: “It was a fascinating experience getting to see Maria at work and the digital tools she had available to make Hugh Miller come to life. We were incredibly lucky to be able to work with her on these new depictions of Hugh Miller.
“Combining the older artefacts and paintings with modern technology, Maria has created a life-size bust of Hugh Miller which, for the first time, has been painted in full colour, adding a layer of realism to the piece. 3D prints of Hugh’s death mask and a miniature bust have also been made, which will allow visitors an up-close look at the famous Scot.
“As well as reimagining Hugh Miller, we were also able to look into his wife, Lydia, who is often forgotten about. Lydia was influential in continuing Hugh’s legacy after his death and ensured his works were printed posthumously. A schoolteacher and writer herself, Lydia is sadly not well-known, but Maria agreed to try and bring her to life. With only one painting and few written descriptions, the 2D portrait Maria has created allows us to share more about the life of this amazing woman.”
Maria’s art was displayed at Cromarty Arts Trust in December 2024 before being gifted to The National Trust for Scotland. The pieces are proudly displayed in the museum promoting public engagement with the life and story of Hugh Miller.
For more information about Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage and Museum, visit: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/hugh-millers-birthplace.
