Prisoner of War Art
Strathnaver Museum

This wooden rectangular box with flower patterns on front and back may seem simple enough. However, it was actually made by David Mackay from Farr (also known as Davie Doul) while he was a Prisoner of War (POW) during World War One.

During captivity, making simple objects like this was an important way of coping with lack of stimulation and long hours of boredom. Much POW art was quite simple, clearly made by amateurs, but some examples show skill and training, reflecting the previous experiences of the makers.

In some cases, selling their art was a way for prisoners to make a very small income to help them survive captivity, although it seems that David Mackay brought this example back to the Highlands.