DAVID ANNOINTED AS KING

Brief description: A predella panel depicting David being Annointed as King by Douglas Strachan. The stained glass panel came from a three-light window formerly in the south transept of Heatherlie Parish Kirk, Selkirk, on the outskirts of Edinburgh. It was placed in memory of George Roberts, a local businessman and former Provost of Selkirk.

The church was no longer used after 1986 and this window was removed a couple of decades later. The complete window depicted the figures of Abraham, David, and Moses in each of the main lights, with predella scenes relating to each figure below and scenes of the Creation in the tracery lights. Of these only two main lights, and three predella panels were sold at auction in 2024. Douglas Strachan was a significant Scottish stained glass designer and a major figure within 20th century Arts and Crafts stained glass. Strachan was born in Aberdeen and studied at Gray's School of Art before moving to Manchester to pursue a career working as a newspaper illustrator. He began making stained glass in 1898, possibly under the guidance of Walter Williams of Williams Brothers and Co. of Chester, Manchester and London. In 1899 he travelled to France and Italy, a seminal journey that had great impact on his work as a stained glass artist. He returned to Aberdeen, working as a mural and portrait painter and by 1909 his reputation as a stained glass artist had grown. Strachan was head of the Craft department at the recently founded Edinburgh College of Art from 1909 to 1911, before handing over to his brother, Alexander, due to pressure of work. With a growing number of commissions coming in, after 1911 and until his death, he dedicated his working life to stained glass. By 1928, he had won international acclaim, following important works including four windows at The Peace Palace in The Hague in the Netherlands, as well as the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle.

Object type: stained glass panel

Number of objects: 1

Production date: 1916

Production period: 20th century

Designer: Douglas Strachan (1875 - 1950)

Manufacturer: (1875=1950) Strachan, Douglas

Dimensions: Height: 1089 mm, Width: 733 mm

Inscription: in glass They annointed David King over Israel

Acquisition: purchase 22.5.2024

Acquisition source:

Accession number: ELYGM:2024.13