Alba Gu Brath! “Paintings by Adam Donaldson Powell” — Painting no. 76: «Le jour du couronnement / L’obsession des Jacobites» (The Coronation Day / Jacobite Obsession»), 90 x 65 cm., oil on canvas. This abstract oil painting on canvas features textiles reminiscent of royalty and festivities: a plush luscious green velvet hill totally enveloped in heavy silver mist, a ruined castle and a shimmering blue heavy silk fabric sky, separated by a gold and silver brocade sash which represents the horizon at dusk. Swaying in the precocious Scottish wind in the Sky of Dreams is a somewhat unstable and slightly-tarnished large golden fleur de lis, and in the bottom section is a cocksure prancing silver unicorn — the fleur de lis (the royal tressure) and the unicorn (the Scottish national animal) both being closely related to Scottish history and tradition. Together, all of these elements comprise the Jacobite obsession/dream of one day crowning a new Jacobite King or Queen of Scotland. Finally, the traditional St. Andrew’s saltire or crux decussata gives way to the glittering sword / scepter of glorious resurrection — of both St. Andrew and the Jacobite dream … never again to be subordinate, tortured, enslaved, murdered or otherwise “crucified”. Alba gu bràth! #scottishliberation
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