MAX Harper was shocked and delighted to discover that a painting of his great-great-grandfather is one of Britain' most popular Christmas cards.

The Stoke Prior man was walking past Artyfacts art shop in the Strand, Bromsgrove, when he saw a print of the picture.

Max had seen the picture, set in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, many times, but he had never seen it made into a print.

People have received Christmas cards for years with this famous picture on, and Max has always been proud to say his great-great-grandfather, Francis, was the subject.

The picture was originally painted in 1880, in the artist's, Joseph Farquason's, shed in Aberdeenshire, so it has come along way to be found in a shop in Bromsgrove!

Max said: "I was very surprised to see the picture had been made into a print." Max bought the picture straight away, as a Christmas gift.

Rare find

Bob Dutton, of Artyfacts said he liked the landscape in the picture and agreed it was rare to see a Farquarson picture in print. He added "It's amazing that it has Max's great-great-grandfather in, as it came all the way from Scotland."

Farquarson had painted Francis Harper, who was a farmer, many times and many of his pictures hang in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Max's great-great-grandfather was of the Gordon clan of Aberdeenshire. And in the painting Max is proudly wearing a Gordon clan scarf.