The Mission of St Columba to the Picts A.D. 563
About this artwork
In 563 AD, the Irish Christian missionary Columba (521-597) and his twelve companions settled on Iona. An island in the west of Scotland, Iona was at that time part of the Gaelic kingdom of Dalriada. Columba founded an abbey there which became a place of pilgrimage and learning. He was credited with converting the pagan Picts in the north and east of Scotland to Christianity. In this mural, old and new faiths meet as Columba is shown preaching to a chieftain, a druid and their tribe, possibly among ancient standing stones. The mural is located on the first floor of the Great Hall iand is the first of eight scenes depicting key events from medieval Scottish history.
Updated 2021
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artist:William Brassey Hole (1846 - 1917) English
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title:The Mission of St Columba to the Picts A.D. 563
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date created:1898
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materials:variant of spirit fresco on plaster
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object type:
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accession number:UPG.028
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gallery:
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subject:
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artwork photographed by:Antonia Reeve
William Brassey Hole
William Brassey Hole
Edinburgh-based artist William Hole specialised in history painting and etching. Around 1895 he volunteered to decorate the chancel of St James’ Church on Inverleith Row with large-scale murals. In 1897 the still unfinished work came to the attention of John Ritchie Findlay, owner of The Scotsman...