Donaldson’s School Postcard – Alexander D. Bell Watercolour

Description

Donaldson’s School Postcard – Alexander D. Bell Watercolour

A stately watercolour portrait of Donaldson’s School, Edinburgh — a landmark of Scottish educational and architectural heritage rendered with artistic delicacy by Alexander Duncan Bell.

Measurements: approx. 6 3/4 x 4 3/8 inches
Dates: not available
Condition: Light wear noted. Please check our images.
Internal notes: QC passed

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Standing proud against a backdrop of sweeping sky and lawn, Donaldson’s School emerges in this watercolour as both a symbol of Victorian grandeur and educational purpose. The elegant symmetry and domed towers are softened here by the gentle lines and light washes of artist Alexander Duncan Bell, evoking the building’s noble presence and quiet dignity.

Originally designed by William Henry Playfair and completed in 1851, Donaldson’s School served for over 150 years as a pioneering institution for deaf education in Scotland. This postcard — published in aid of St Columba’s Hospice — captures the building’s vast façade and green setting, likely produced in the late 20th or early 21st century. Bell’s illustration gives architectural fidelity a poetic warmth, perfect for collectors of Edinburgh landmarks or historical school buildings.

To own this postcard is to preserve an image of one of Scotland’s most striking civic structures — a visual echo of learning, philanthropy, and design excellence. It stands as a tribute not only to architectural vision, but to the social ideals that shaped it.

Categories:
architecture, ephemera, postcards, scotland, vintage

Tags:
edinburgh, donaldsons, postcard, school, playfair, scotland, victorian, vintage, watercolour

Focus Keyword:
donaldson’s school postcard

Suggested Internal Link Keywords:
donaldson’s school postcard, alexander duncan bell art, victorian architecture edinburgh, william playfair buildings, scottish school heritage

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