David Donaldson
Encyclopedia
David Donaldson was Painter and Limner
to Her Majesty the Queen
in Scotland.
Born David Abercrombie Donaldson at Chryston
, Lanarkshire in 1916. He studied at Glasgow School of Art
from 1932–37 and won the Director’s Prize in 1936. He was awarded the Glasgow School of Art
Haldane Travelling Scholarship in 1937 and went abroad for the first time in his life to visit Paris and Florence. When Donaldson returned to Glasgow
he undertook another year of study at Glasgow School of Art
, the equivalent of a post-graduate year awarded to outstanding students on completion of their diploma.
The Empire Exhibition
of 1938 was held in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park. Scotland’s schools of art were employed to decorate pavilions and Donaldson painted a large scale mural which did not survive the demolition of the exhibition.
With the declaration of war in 1939 Donaldson was graded unfit for military service. He continued to teach his night-school classes but as staff from the art school went off to serve in the forces he graduated to teaching first and second year students. In 1941 he won the important Guthrie Award at the Royal Scottish Academy
's annual exhibition. In 1942 he married Kathleen Boyd Maxwell (whom he later divorced) and in 1943 their son was born. Eventually, in 1944 he was appointed a full-time lecturer and a permanent member of staff at Glasgow School of Art
.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Scottish Academy
in 1951 and a full Member in 1956. He was elected member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
1964 and appointed Head of the Department of Drawing and Painting at Glasgow School of Art
in 1967. In the meantime he had married Maria Mora-Szorc in 1948 and they had two daughters.
Donaldson was commissioned to paint the Queen in 1966. He was appointed Painter and Limner
to Her Majesty the Queen
in Scotland in 1977. Amongst his other notable subjects were Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
and many prominent figures in Scottish public life.
David Donaldson died shortly after celebrating his 80th birthday in 1996. This was also the year in which he was awarded the City of Glasgow Lord Provost’s Award for the Visual Arts and his biography by W. Gordon Smith was published.
Painter and Limner
The Painter and Limner is a member of the Royal Household in Scotland. Appointments of Court Painters are recorded from 1581 onwards, and the post of Painter and Limner was created in 1702 for George Ogilvie. The duties included "drawing pictures of our [the Monarch's] person or of our successors...
to Her Majesty the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in Scotland.
Born David Abercrombie Donaldson at Chryston
Chryston
Chryston is a village in the central belt of Scotland in the county of North Lanarkshire. Founded by James Burns Pollock, It is north of the main trunk road between Glasgow and Stirling ....
, Lanarkshire in 1916. He studied at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
from 1932–37 and won the Director’s Prize in 1936. He was awarded the Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
Haldane Travelling Scholarship in 1937 and went abroad for the first time in his life to visit Paris and Florence. When Donaldson returned to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
he undertook another year of study at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
, the equivalent of a post-graduate year awarded to outstanding students on completion of their diploma.
The Empire Exhibition
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was an international exposition held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938....
of 1938 was held in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park. Scotland’s schools of art were employed to decorate pavilions and Donaldson painted a large scale mural which did not survive the demolition of the exhibition.
With the declaration of war in 1939 Donaldson was graded unfit for military service. He continued to teach his night-school classes but as staff from the art school went off to serve in the forces he graduated to teaching first and second year students. In 1941 he won the important Guthrie Award at the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
's annual exhibition. In 1942 he married Kathleen Boyd Maxwell (whom he later divorced) and in 1943 their son was born. Eventually, in 1944 he was appointed a full-time lecturer and a permanent member of staff at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
in 1951 and a full Member in 1956. He was elected member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a British association of portrait painters which holds an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London...
1964 and appointed Head of the Department of Drawing and Painting at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
in 1967. In the meantime he had married Maria Mora-Szorc in 1948 and they had two daughters.
Donaldson was commissioned to paint the Queen in 1966. He was appointed Painter and Limner
Painter and Limner
The Painter and Limner is a member of the Royal Household in Scotland. Appointments of Court Painters are recorded from 1581 onwards, and the post of Painter and Limner was created in 1702 for George Ogilvie. The duties included "drawing pictures of our [the Monarch's] person or of our successors...
to Her Majesty the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in Scotland in 1977. Amongst his other notable subjects were Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and many prominent figures in Scottish public life.
David Donaldson died shortly after celebrating his 80th birthday in 1996. This was also the year in which he was awarded the City of Glasgow Lord Provost’s Award for the Visual Arts and his biography by W. Gordon Smith was published.