Highland Landscape by John Knox (1778-1845) presents an expansive view of a lush valley with a group of figures in the foreground and sheep resting on the hillside and rocks. A waterfall is seen flowing between the rocks with dryer, delicate sweeps of white paint. The colour palette is extremely rich, visible in the overall lush green colour throughout the work and also in the bright red and blue of the figure's clothing. These delicate strokes of paint continue as Knox builds up layers of paint in the trees' leaves and the fluffiness of the clouds. Small, sweeping strokes of more muted tones of colour allow Knox to realistically capture the height of the cliffside and mountainside surrounding the valley, elevating the feeling of vastness in the work. 

Knox's popularity came from his mastery of capturing expansive landscapes, often finding unique viewpoints to do so. Elements of the classical tradition of landscape painting are present here with the delicate, small strokes of paint to capture intimate details of nature and the way the figures are small compared to the vast landscape. 

John Knox, 1778-1845

John Knox was a significant and original landscape painter of the nineteenth century who was born in Paisley and died in Keswick. His family moved to Glasgow in 1799 and it is thought that he may have studied under Alexander Nasmyth. His early career as a landscape painter was spent in his Glasgow studio, where he also taught. In addition to fairly conventional views of the Clyde valley and other picturesque sites composed in the classical tradition, he created some highly uncommon and measurable panoramas from unusual viewpoints. He is said to have taught both Horatio McCulloch and Daniel Macnee.