Roderic O’Conor (1860-1940)
'A reclining nude before a mirror’, 1909
Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-90)
‘Rooftops in Paris’, 1886
Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

Titian (1485/90-1576)
‘Ecce Homo’, c.1558-60
Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

Rembrandt (1606-69)
‘La Main Chaude’, c.1628
Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

'The Story of the Great Masters'
National Gallery's art and supper lecture series resumes in October.

Press Release September 2008

Tickets from the Gallery Shop-

The Story of the Great Masters has become one of the annual delights in the National Gallery's public lecture programme. This popular art and supper series, which takes place over four Thursday evenings in October, brings over internationally regarded experts to speak on key works in the collection. The four master painters highlighted in this year's series will be Roderic O'Conor, Vincent Van Gogh, Titian and Rembrandt Van Rijn.

The programme will commence on Thursday 9 October 2008 at 6.30pm with a talk by Dr. Alyce Mahon, Senior Lecturer and Fellow, Trinity College, Cambridge, who will discuss a painting by the Irish Impressionist, Roderic O'Conor, 'A Reclining Nude before a Mirror '(1909).

On Thursday 16 October, John Leighton, Director General, National Galleries of Scotland, will present the W.D. Finlay Lecture on the Gallery's recently acquired painting 'Rooftops in Paris' (1886), by Vincent Van Gogh.

The remaining two works of art for discussion in this series will include Titian's 'Ecce Homo' (c.1558-60), delivered by Dr. Caroline Campbell, Curator, Courtauld Institute of Art, London (23 October), and Rembrandt's 'La Main Chaude' (c.1628), will be the subject of the last talk on 30 October by Taco Dibbits, Director of Collections, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Dr. Marie Bourke, Keeper and Head of Education in the National Gallery of Ireland, promises that it will be an enjoyable and enlightening series of talks: "The Story of the Great Masters" presents a wonderful opportunity to hear the views and insights of a range of distinguished speakers on much-loved master paintings they have selected from the Gallery's collection."

Talks take place in the Lecture Theatre at 6.30pm, followed by supper in the Wintergarden in the Millennium Wing. Tickets cost €35 per evening or €130 for a season ticket, and are available from the Gallery Shop, or telephone 01-663 3518.

NOTE TO EDITORS: See full programme details below.
Images to accompany The Story of the Great Masters are available from the Gallery Press Office, email press@ngi.ie

Press Contact:
Valerie Keogh/ Emma Pearson
Press & Communications Office
National Gallery of Ireland, Clare Street & Merrion Square West, Dublin 2
Telephone (01) 663 3598/ 663 3519
Email press@ngi.ie
www.nationalgallery.ie

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The Story of the Great Masters Lecture Programme

Thursday 9 October, 6.30pm
Roderic O'Conor (1860-1940), A Reclining Nude before a Mirror, 1909
Guest Speaker: Dr Alyce Mahon, Senior Lecturer and Fellow, Trinity College, Cambridge

Thursday 16 October, 6.30pm
Introduction Raymond Keaveney, Director, NGI
The William D. Finlay Lecture:
Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), Rooftops in Paris, 1886
Guest Speaker: John Leighton, Director General, National Galleries of Scotland

Thursday 23 October, 6.30pm
Titian (1485/90-1576), Ecce Homo, c1558-60
Guest Speaker: Dr Caroline Campbell, Curator of Paintings, Courtauld Institute of Art, London

Thursday 30 October, 6.30pm
Rembrandt Van Rijn (1606-69), La Main Chaude, c1628
Guest Speaker: Taco Dibbits, Director of Collections, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam