The view down Glen Sannox, from the village which gives it its name, is one of the most reproduced views of the island. Many examples of it can be found in artworks and countless postcard views. 

Caisteal Abhail, which rises steeply from the valley floor below dominates the scene, forming part of the famous 'Sleeping Warrior' profile of the island when seen from the Ayrshire coast. It is a mountain which is cut deeply by 'Ceum na Caillich' the so called 'witches step' giving it a distinctive and unforgettable outline. 

To the south, the mountain scenery is no less impressive, with Cioch na h-Oighe guarding the entrance to the glen, while Cìr Mhòr, as in Glen Rosa, terminates the end of the valley with its looming pyramidal peak.

Of the many artists who have painted Glen Sannox, we have chosen to mark the contribution of two painters who approached the subject with very different approaches. 

The first of these, John Knox (1778-1845), produced a stunning panoramic depiction of the glen, heightening the tension of its many peaks and ridges through exaggeration, to produce an awe inspiring and somewhat austere view of the mountains.

Knox is an artist who had a profound effect on generations of Scottish painters, with pupils such as Horatio McCulloch, and is regarded as an important influence on the development of Glaswegian painting in particular, painting some of the earliest views of the city.

In comparison to Knox, the work of John Maclauchlan Milne (1885-1957), with its light bright colours and free brushwork, reflects the work of The Scottish Colourists, the artistic group to whom he is most closely associated.  Maclauchlan Milne's images of the island, where he spent the last 17 years of his life, show an artist at the height of his powers, depicting a landscape which held a special place in his heart. Few artists have captured the light and mood of the Isle of Arran quite like him.