Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 67 works by Thomas Faed in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Thomas Faed left, the most famous is Worn Out. Close behind it come Faults on Both Sides (1861) and Highland Mary (1857). Our catalog holds 67 works by Thomas Faed; the gallery has kept the 67 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
In 1868, Thomas Faed presented Worn Out at the Royal Academy. The oil on canvas captures a quiet, heavy moment within a Highland interior. It depicts a working man who has spent a restless night watching over his small boy. Now, as the grey light of dawn touches the room, both father and child have finally succumbed to sleep.
The air in the room feels heavy with the weight of unspoken words. A man and a woman sit close together, their presence anchoring the space. He holds a stick or cane, a silent companion to his posture, while she rests beside him. They are caught in a moment of shared existence, perhaps a conversation that has drifted into a comfortable silence or a shared glance that says more than…
is an oil on canvas work by the Scottish artist Thomas Faed. Executed in 1857, the portrait captures a woman dressed in a pink dress. The subject is positioned amidst a rugged landscape, her attire and presence anchoring the composition within a specific social and natural context.
In this 1889 oil painting, a domestic interior becomes a stage for a quiet, private drama. A woman lies in her bed, her presence defined by the stillness of her repose. Beside her, a man stands in a posture of attentive concern, while two other figures occupy the periphery of the room, their presence adding to the gravity of the scene. The composition is anchored by the mundane objects of…
The large-scale historical group portrait titled Sir Walter Scott and his friends at Abbotsford captures a specific gathering of distinguished men. Painted by Thomas Faed, the work places Sir Walter Scott and his contemporaries within a shared moment of social engagement. The scene is set around a dining table, where the figures are gathered in a dense, centralized arrangement.
In this 1850 oil portrait, we find ourselves in a moment of profound stillness. A young boy is positioned slightly off-center, his presence defined by a soft, direct gaze that establishes an immediate connection with the viewer. Beside him, a hound rests, their companionship forming the emotional core of the composition. The lighting, appearing to descend from the upper left, brushes against the boy's rosy cheeks and illuminates the side…
The wind carries the scent of salt and damp earth across a vast, turbulent landscape. A solitary woman moves through the field, her figure centered against a sky that churns with heavy, bruised clouds. She is a quiet presence in a world of movement, her hands steady as she works the harvested grain. The golden hues of the wheat stalks catch a filtered, dramatic light, creating a sharp contrast against…
A solitary female figure stands alone against a rugged, cliffside backdrop in A Seaside Toilet. This oil painting by Thomas Faed captures a quiet, mundane moment as the woman pauses to adjust her clothing by the sea. The scene unfolds in a coastal setting, where the salt air and the movement of the wind seem to linger around her. She exists in a private interval, caught in a simple act…
In this intimate oil on canvas, titled Forgiven, the Scottish artist Thomas Faed explores the quietude of domestic life. Created in 1874, the work offers a glimpse into the sentimental realism that defined much of Faed's career. The piece is modest in scale, measuring 36 x 48 cm, which encourages a close, personal encounter with the figures depicted.
In this 1860 oil on canvas, we find ourselves drawn into a private, domestic moment that feels almost overheard. The scene is set within a room bathed in soft light, where a woman sits while a man stands beside her. They are caught in a moment of quiet connection, perhaps sharing a thought or a passage from the books resting upon the dining table. A single potted plant introduces a…
Listeners Ne'er Hear Any Good Of Themselves
12
The First Break In The Family
13
Scottish Settlers In North America
14
Pot Luck
15
The Last of the Clan1865
16
The Gamekeeper's Cottage1845
17
Four Saints Saint George, Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret and Saint Andrew1848 · Scottish National Gallery
18
Life Study of John Mongo, The Punka Walla1847 · Scottish National Gallery
19
Molly's Toilet1855 · Grundy Art Gallery
20
The Fishergirl1859
21
The Listener Ne'er Hears Gude o' Himsel1858
22
Highland Lassie1871 · Touchstones Rochdale Arts And Heritage Centre
23
Jessie, the Flower of Dunblane1867
24
Milkmaid1869
25
Free from Care1878
26
In Time of War1876
27
Sunday In The Backwoods Of Canada
28
The Home Of The Faeds
29
The Flower of Dunblane
30
Seeing them off
31
Meg Merilees1861 · Gracefield Arts Center
32
A Highland Gypsy1870 · Guildhall Art Gallery
33
Ere Care Begins1865
34
Home and the Homeless1856 · Scottish National Gallery
35
A Lowland Lassie1873
36
From Hand To Mouth
37
Highland lassie
38
The shooting match
39
Too Young To Be Married
40
Good News
41
Forgiven
42
Maternal joy
43
Lucy's Flittin
44
The Pedlar
45
Hard Times
46
Study For Head Of A Woman
47
Sunday In The BackwoodsMontreal Museum of Fine Arts
48
A highland gypsy
49
Self Portrait Of The Artist
50
Home and the Homeless
51
The Ray Of Sunlight
52
Taking rest
53
Sir Walter Scott And His Literary Friends
54
Lady Writing a Letter
55
The soldier's return
56
The End Of A Happy Day
57
The Pet Lamb
58
A Highland TrystBroughton House - Garden
59
The Silken Gown
60
Maternal JoyStirling Smith Art Gallery And Museum
61
EvangelineManchester Art Gallery
62
The Mitherless Bairn
63
Interior with Figures
64
A Flower from Paddy's Land
65
A Game of DraughtsSheffield City Art Galleries
66
God's AcreThe New Art Gallery
67
The Freedom of the Press
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Thomas Faed | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Scottish National Gallery |
Edinburgh | 3 | Four Saints Saint George, Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret and Saint Andrew, Life Study of John Mongo, The Punka Walla, Home and the Homeless |
 Guildhall Art Gallery |
London | 2 | Forgiven, A Highland Gypsy |
 Queen's University Belfast |
Belfast | 1 | The Doctor's Visit |
 Scottish National Portrait Gallery |
Edinburgh | 1 | Sir Walter Scott and his friends at Abbotsford |
 The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery |
Glasgow | 1 | Boy with a Hound |
 Grundy Art Gallery |
Blackpool | 1 | Molly's Toilet |
 Touchstones Rochdale Arts And Heritage Centre |
Rochdale | 1 | Highland Lassie |
 Gracefield Arts Center |
Dumfries | 1 | Meg Merilees |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The large-scale historical group portrait titled Sir Walter Scott and his friends at Abbotsford captures a specific gathering of distinguished men. Painted by Thomas Faed, the work places Sir Walter Scott and his contemporaries within a shared moment of social engagement. The scene is set around a dining table, where the figures are gathered in a dense, centralized arrangement.
is an oil on canvas work by the Scottish artist Thomas Faed. Executed in 1857, the portrait captures a woman dressed in a pink dress. The subject is positioned amidst a rugged landscape, her attire and presence anchoring the composition within a specific social and natural context.
The air in the room feels heavy with the weight of unspoken words. A man and a woman sit close together, their presence anchoring the space. He holds a stick or cane, a silent companion to his posture, while she rests beside him. They are caught in a moment of shared existence, perhaps a conversation that has drifted into a comfortable silence or a shared glance that says more than…
In this intimate oil on canvas, titled Forgiven, the Scottish artist Thomas Faed explores the quietude of domestic life. Created in 1874, the work offers a glimpse into the sentimental realism that defined much of Faed's career. The piece is modest in scale, measuring 36 x 48 cm, which encourages a close, personal encounter with the figures depicted.
In this 1889 oil painting, a domestic interior becomes a stage for a quiet, private drama. A woman lies in her bed, her presence defined by the stillness of her repose. Beside her, a man stands in a posture of attentive concern, while two other figures occupy the periphery of the room, their presence adding to the gravity of the scene. The composition is anchored by the mundane objects of…
Worn Out. Faults on Both Sides (1861) and Highland Mary (1857) come next.
Worn Out, Faults on Both Sides, Highland Mary, The Doctor's Visit, Sir Walter Scott and his friends at Abbotsford, Boy with a Hound, The Reaper, A Seaside Toilet, Forgiven and His Only Pair. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 67 works by Thomas Faed, dated from 1845 to 1889.
Mostly in Scottish National Gallery (Edinburgh), Guildhall Art Gallery (London) and Queen's University Belfast (Belfast). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1860s: 9 of the 67 works on this page were made then, Faults on Both Sides among them.
On this page, the earliest is The Gamekeeper's Cottage (1845) and the latest The Doctor's Visit (1889).
Woman (8), Domestic scene (6) and Scottish art (6), across the 67 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 9 of the 67 works on this page.
Realism, judging by the originals on this page.
Four Saints Saint George, Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret and Saint Andrew, Life Study of John Mongo, The Punka Walla and Home and the Homeless: the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh holds 3 of the works on this page.
Thomas Faed holds a singular place in the annals of Scottish art, often described with the profound reverence that one might accord to Robert Burns’s impact on Scottish song. Born in Kirkcudbrightshire at Barlay Mill, Faed was part of a remarkable family of creators; his brothers James and John, along with his sister Susan, all shared this deep artistic calling. His early life was rooted in the ruggedly beautiful landscape of Galloway, an environment that undoubtedly informed the warmth and domesticity found within his most cherished works. After receiving his formal art education at the school of design in Edinburgh, he began a journey that would lead him from the heart of Scotland to the prestigious studios of London.
His career was marked by significant professional milestones, including his election as an associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1849. As his reputation grew, so did his influence within the British art scene; he became an associate of the Royal Academy in 1861 and eventually achieved the status of academician in 1864. This progression reflected not only his technical mastery but also his ability to capture the very essence of Victorian life through a lens of tender realism.
Faed’s oeuvre is celebrated for its mastery of genre scenes and portraits, works that often serve as windows into the intimate, quiet moments of human existence. He possessed a rare ability to convey complex emotions through subtle details—a downward cast gaze, the gentle clasping of hands, or the soft glow of a fireplace. In his masterpiece Forgiven, created in 1874, he presents a heartwarming scene of familial connection, using soft colors and expressive facial expressions to evoke a sense of serenity and peace. His work often invites the viewer to step into an intimate world, where the innocence of a child or the compassion of a mother can be felt almost tangibly.
Beyond the domestic sphere, Faed’s technical skill allowed him to explore more contemplative and even symbolic themes. In Meg Merilees, he utilized oil on panel to create a luminous finish, capturing a study of human emotion through meticulous brushwork and the strategic use of light and shadow. This piece, much like his other celebrated works such as The Last of the Clan, demonstrates his capacity to imbue a single portrait with profound depth and spiritual aspiration. Whether depicting the ruggedness of the Highlands or the quietude of an interior room, Faed’s paintings remain evocative studies of the human condition.
The historical significance of Thomas Faed lies in his ability to bridge the gap between rigorous realism and the emotive storytelling characteristic of his era. His works are not merely representations of subjects but are narratives that speak to the values and aesthetics of the mid-19th century. Many of his most important pieces have found permanent homes in some of the world's most esteemed institutions, ensuring that his vision continues to resonate with generations of art lovers:
Through his dedication to capturing the essence of human relationships and the beauty of the Scottish landscape, Faed left behind a legacy of visual storytelling that remains as captivating today as it was during his lifetime in London.
