Art is central to the Fife Arms experience, in keeping with its Victoriana style. The moment you step inside, the hotel presents an eclectic collection of artworks comprising pieces from the 19th century to the present day, which have been curated by owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-founders of the acclaimed global gallery Hauser & Wirth.
Iwan and Manuela invited internationally-renowned artists to make work that would be integrated into the Fife Arms through special commissions. These include a large-scale site-specific ceiling painting, a chandelier and much more…
Prior to opening, a number of artists were invited to take up residence in Braemar and to immerse themselves in the surroundings. Scottish poet Alec Finlay was commissioned to create Gathering, a poetic guide to the Cairngorms. Gideon Summerfield, a postgraduate from London’s prestigious Royal School of Drawing, drew portraits of some of Braemar’s 450 residents. Naturalist James Prosek designed the hotel’s striking coat of arms and the logo for The Flying Stag.
More than 16,000 antiques, artworks and collectibles have been thoughtfully integrated into every room, corridor and corner. Contemporary works are complemented by an array of mainly Scottish artworks collected for the hotel, from important paintings and drawings to prints, pamphlets, and caricatures. Highlights include a delicate watercolour of a stag’s head painted by HM Queen Victoria, a monumental 19th-century mahogany and pine chimneypiece carved with scenes from the work of Scottish poet Robert Burns and paintings by Archibald Thornburn, one of Scotland’s finest wildlife painters. Here are some selected highlights.
Discover more about our art activities at the hotel, including the daily art tour for all hotel guests to a number of activities for our younger guests
Excursions & Tours
Country Pursuits
Art & Culture
Family Suites
Family Activities
Dogs at the Fife Arms
The Uisge Retreat
Early Bird Benefits
Braemar Literary Festival Weekend
