The National Gallery of Ireland is proud to present a new major exhibition William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy. This loan exhibition from Tate, curated in partnership with the National Gallery of Ireland, presents a selection of Blake’s most iconic works of art, alongside paintings and drawings by his contemporaries. It offers a rare opportunity to encounter one of the most visionary figures in art and literature. The exhibition runs from 16 April - 19 July 2026 at the Gallery.
William Blake (1757-1827) is a singular force in the history of art. Poet, painter and printmaker, he created a visionary universe of mythic beings and prophetic scenes, exploring heaven and hell through a language entirely his own. In a world shaped by revolution and social upheaval, Blake and his peers pushed art into bold new territories using the power of the creative imagination.
Wildly unconventional in terms of both technique and thought, Blake developed a distinctive visual language to explore opposing forces of creation and destruction, reason and imagination. His inventive works have resonated far beyond his own era. Blake’s influence continues to echo through contemporary culture, inspiring musicians such as U2, Bob Dylan and Patti Smith; filmmakers including Ridley Scott and Martin Scorsese; writers from J.G. Ballard to Allen Ginsberg; and designers such as Una Burke, whose work features in a special three-piece collaboration accompanying the exhibition in the Gallery’s gift shop.
Opening with a selection of Blake’s iconic large colour prints, William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy immediately immerses visitors in the drama and visionary intensity that defines his work. These striking images introduce the exhibition’s central themes, which unfold across a series of sections that place key works by Blake alongside paintings and drawings by the artists he admired and those who were inspired by him. By placing Blake in a wider context of originality and experimentation, the exhibition offers a compelling insight into a transformative moment in European art. It provides a window into uniquely imaginative works of art that address many topics that are as urgent and relevant today as they were during the Romantic period.
Patrick O’Donovan, TD, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport said: “I wish to commend the National Gallery in staging this amazing exhibition, celebrating some of the most iconic works of William Blake. I would like to thank the National Gallery and their curating partner institution, Tate, who have loaned works for this exhibition, offering a unique opportunity for the public to enjoy works of Blake and some of his contemporaries from the Romantic era. My Department continues to support the work of our national cultural institutions in continuing to showcase Ireland as a leader on the world stage in terms of arts and culture.”
Speaking on the opening of the exhibition, Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said: “It is very exciting to continue our partnership with our colleagues at Tate and present the work of William Blake alongside his contemporaries in this major exhibition. The impact that Blake and the era of Romanticism have had on Western art cannot be overstated. William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy allows our visitors to explore a familiar name in much greater depth. We hope that it will inspire and delight all who visit the National Gallery of Ireland during spring-summer 2026. I also take this opportunity to thank our Partners at Tate, the supporters of our William Blake Giving Circle and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for their ongoing support.”
Anne Hodge, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the National Gallery of Ireland said: “William Blake is such an iconic figure in art and literature. I am delighted that our visitors will be able to enjoy a selection of his work in context, alongside that of his fellow artists. Many people are aware that he wrote the poem The Tyger, but know little else about him. This exhibition will provide a window into the richness of Blake’s imagination and his innovation as an artist.”
Alice Insley, Curator British Art, 1730-1850 at Tate, said: “William Blake is today celebrated for the great originality and vision of his art and poetry. Yet he was not alone in giving his imagination free rein. This exhibition shows Blake’s extraordinary works alongside paintings and drawings by his contemporaries – those who he admired and those who he inspired – to reveal how British art was taken in exciting new directions in this moment. We are delighted to be able to share these works from Tate’s collection with visitors to the National Gallery of Ireland and hope that they will continue to inspire across the centuries.”
William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy will open to the public on 16 April 2026 and run until 19 July 2026.
Tickets cost from free/€0 to €16 for an adult. Concessions apply. Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland receive free unlimited entry to all exhibitions. Tickets are free for children (18 and under), international protection applicants, refugees and carers. There is free entry to the exhibition for all on Wednesday mornings (until 11.30am). Adult tickets are €5 on weekday mornings up to 9.45am and on Thursday evenings from 17.00pm - 19.15pm.
The Gallery would like to thank the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for their ongoing support.
ENDS
Media Contacts:
- Sam Hardiman, Communications Coordinator: Press & Advertising, National Gallery of Ireland, [email protected]
Notes to Editor:
- Images of exhibition works available on request.
- Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, is available for interview
- Anne Hodge, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the National Gallery of Ireland, is available for interview
About the National Gallery of Ireland:
The National Gallery of Ireland is one of the country’s most popular visitor attractions housing the nation’s collection of European and Irish art from about 1300 to the present day, and an extensive Library & Archive. Entry to the collection is free for all to enjoy, learn and be inspired.
Visit nationalgallery.ie or follow us on social media:
- Facebook & Instagram: @nationalgalleryofireland
- LinkedIn: @National Gallery of Ireland
- X: @NGIreland
About Tate:
Tate celebrates the world’s greatest modern and contemporary art and the best of British art from 1500 to today. Every year it welcomes millions of people to its four galleries – Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives – to enjoy unforgettable exhibitions, spectacular commissions and unique events. At its heart is a growing collection of over 75,000 artworks, ranging from paintings and sculptures to installations and performances. Tate cares for this collection on behalf of the public and, as one of the world’s biggest lenders of art, shares it with museums and galleries throughout the UK and across the globe. For more information, visit tate.org.uk and follow @Tate.
An chéad mhórthaispeántas de shaothair le William Blake á chur i láthair ag
Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann
William Blake: Aois na Fantaisíochta Rómánsaí
16 Aibreán – 19 Iúil 2026
Is cúis bhróid ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann é William Blake: Aois na Fantaisíochta Rómánsaí a chur i láthair i gcomhpháirt le Tate, an institiúid óna bhfuarthas ar iasacht é. Tá cuid de na saothair ealaíne is mó le rá le Blake le feiceáil sa mhórthaispeántas nua seo chomh maith le pictiúir agus líníochtaí a rinne roinnt d’ealaíontóirí a linne. Is annamh a bhíonn a leithéid seo de dheis ann eolas a chur ar fhear mór físe a bhí ag treabhadh i saol na healaíne agus na litríochta. Beidh an taispeántas ar siúl sa Ghailearaí ón 16 Aibreán go dtí an 19 Iúil 2026.
Duine eisceachtúil amach is amach ab ea William Blake (1757-1827) ó thaobh an tionchair ollmhóir a bhí aige ar chonair na healaíne. File, péintéir agus déantóir priontaí ab ea é a chruthaigh cruinne fhísiúil ina bhfuil créatúir mhiotasacha agus radhairc fháidhiúla, agus é ag breathnú ar neamh agus ifreann ar a bhealach áirithe féin. Tráth a bhí an saol á chur as riocht ag réabhlóidí agus ag an gcorraíl shóisialta, tharraing Blake agus ealaíontóirí eile ar a gcuid samhlaíochta agus cruthaitheachta chun an ealaín a threorú go dásachtach dána ar chonairí úrnua.
D'fhorbair Blake cur chuige físiúil sainiúil chun iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar fhórsaí contrártha na cruthaitheachta agus an scriosta, na réasúnaíochta agus na samhlaíochta, agus fód úr á bhriseadh aige ó thaobh teicníce agus ó thaobh na smaointeoireachta de. Mhair a thionchar buan beo agus tá a shaothair nuálacha fós ag dul i bhfeidhm orainn anois féin. Tá a rian le feiceáil ar chultúr ár linne: spreag sé ceoltóirí ar nós U2, Bob Dylan agus Patti Smith, lucht déanta scannán ar nós Ridley Scott agus Martin Scorsese, scríbhneoirí ar nós J.G. Ballard agus Allen Ginsberg, agus dearthóirí ar nós Una Burke, a bhfuil trí shaothar dá cuid le feiceáil i mbabhta speisialta comhair atá ag gabháil leis an taispeántas i siopa bronntanas an Ghailearaí.
Priontaí móra daite íocónacha le Blake a bheidh anseo romhat nuair a shiúlfaidh tú isteach chuig William Blake: Aois na Fantaisíochta Rómánsaí, agus tumfar thú láithreach sa saol físeach fíordhrámatúil a shamhlaímid lena shaothar. Tá príomhthéamaí an taispeántais le sonrú sna pictiúir shuaithinseacha sin, atá leagtha amach ina rannóga éagsúla sa chaoi is go bhfuil saothair thábhachtacha le Blake taobh le pictiúir agus líníochtaí le healaíontóirí a raibh meas aige orthu agus leo siúd a bhí faoina anáil. Trí Blake a shuí i gcomhthéacs níos leithne na húrnuachta agus na turgnamhaíochta, tugann an taispeántas léargas mealltach ar ré ina raibh ealaín na hEorpa ag athrú go tréan. Tugtar spléachadh dúinn ar shaothair ealaíne a bhfuil samhlaíocht as cuimse ag baint leo agus atá dírithe ar thopaicí atá gach pioc chomh tábhachtach agus chomh hábhartha inniu agus a bhí siad le linn na ré Rómánsaí.
Dúirt Patrick O’Donovan, TD, an tAire Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt: “Molaim an Gailearaí Náisiúnta as an taispeántas iontach seo a chur ar siúl, ina bhfuil cuid de na saothair is mó le rá a rinne William Blake. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an nGailearaí féin agus le Tate, a thug saothair ar iasacht dó agus a bhí ag obair i gcomhpháirt leis chun an taispeántas a léiriú ionas go mbeidh an deis ag an bpobal taitneamh a bhaint as saothair le Blake agus le healaíontóirí eile ón ré Rómánsach. Tacaíonn mo Roinn leis an obair a dhéanann ár n-institiúidí cultúrtha náisiúnta agus iad ag díriú aird ar ról na hÉireann ar ardán domhanda na n-ealaíon agus an chultúir.”
Ag labhairt di agus an taispeántas á oscailt, dúirt an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: “Táimid ar bís chun leanúint lenár gcomhpháirtíocht lenár gcomhghleacaithe sa Tate agus saothair le William Blake agus le roinnt d’ealaíontóirí a linne á gcur i láthair againn sa mhórthaispeántas seo. Bhí tionchar thar na bearta ag Blake agus ag ré an Rómánsachais ar ealaín an Iarthair. Le William Blake: Aois na Fantaisíochta Rómánsaí, tá an deis ag cuairteoirí ar an nGailearaí cur leis an eolas agus an tuiscint atá acu ar an ealaíontóir seo. Tá súil againn go mbeidh an taispeántas ina chúis spreagtha agus sásaimh ag gach duine a thabharfaidh cuairt ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann an t-earrach agus an samhradh seo. Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a thapú freisin chun buíochas a ghabháil lenár gcomhpháirtithe sa Tate, leis an William Blake Giving Circle agus leis an Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt as an tacaíocht a thugann sí dúinn i gcónaí.”
Dúirt Anne Hodge, Coimeádaí na bPriontaí agus na Líníochtaí ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: “Is duine millteanach mór le rá é William Blake i réimse na healaíne agus na litríochta. Tá ríméad orm go mbeidh cuairteoirí ar an nGailearaí in ann sult a bhaint as saothair dá chuid ina gcomhthéacs cuí, taobh le pictiúir a rinne roinnt d’ealaíontóirí a linne. Tá a fhios ag an iomaí duine gurbh eisean a scríobh an dán ‘The Tyger’, ach is beag eile atá ar eolas ag an saol mór faoi. Gheofar léargas sa taispeántas seo ar an saibhreas ollmhór samhlaíochta a bhí ag Blake agus ar a chumas nuálaíochta.”
Dúirt Alice Insley, Coimeádaí Ealaín na Breataine, 1730-1850 ag Tate: "Tá iomrá ar William Blake anois as bheith ina cheannródaí san ealaín agus sa litríocht agus as an bhfís iontach is bonn lena shaothair sna réimsí sin, ach ní ina aonar a bhí sé lena racht samhlaíochta. Sa taispeántas seo, tá saothair iontacha le Blake ar crochadh taobh le pictiúir agus líníochtaí le healaíontóirí a linne – daoine a raibh meas aige orthu agus iad siúd a bhí faoina anáil – chun léargas a thabhairt ar an gcaoi ar tháinig casadh iontach ar scéal na healaíne sa Bhreatain a bhuí leis an dream sin. Tá áthas orainn a bheith in ann na saothair seo ó bhailiúchán Tate a roinnt le cuairteoirí ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann agus tá súil againn go mbeidh daoine fós á spreagadh acu ar feadh i bhfad eile.”
Beidh William Blake: Aois na Fantaisíochta Rómánsaí ar oscailt don phobal ón 16 Aibreán 2026 go dtí an 19 Iúil 2026.
Tá ticéid áirithe saor in aisce agus €16 a ghearrtar ar dhaoine fásta. Tá lascainí ar fáil. Tá cead isteach saor in aisce chuig gach taispeántas ag Cairde Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann. Ní ghearrtar aon táille ar leanaí (18 mbliana d'aois agus faoina bhun), ar iarratasóirí ar chosaint idirnáisiúnta, ar dhídeanaithe ná ar chúramóirí. Ní ghearrtar táille ar dhuine ar bith maidin Dé Céadaoin (go dtí 11.30am). Praghas €5 atá ar thicéid do dhaoine fásta ar maidin i rith na seachtaine go dtí 9.45am agus tráthnóna Déardaoin ó 17.00 – 19.15.
Ba mhaith leis an nGailearaí buíochas a ghabháil leis an Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt as an tacaíocht a thugann sí dúinn.
CRÍOCH
Teagmhálaí na meán:
- Sam Hardiman, Comhordaitheoir Cumarsáide: Preas ⁊ Fógraíocht, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, [email protected]
Nótaí don Eagarthóir:
- Gheofar íomhánna de na saothair atá ar taispeáint uain - [email protected]
- Féadfar an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, a chur faoi agallamh.
- Féadfar Anne Hodge, Coimeádaí na bPriontaí agus na Líníochtaí ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, a chur faoi agallamh.
Maidir le Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann:
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Maidir le Tate:
Bíonn Tate ag díriú ar an nua-ealaín agus an ealaín chomhaimseartha is fearr ar domhan agus ar an gcuid is fearr d’ealaín na Breataine ó 1500 go dtí an lá inniu. Gach bliain tagann na milliúin daoine chuig a cheithre ghailearaí – Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool agus Tate St Ives – chun sult a bhaint as taispeántais den scoth, as saothair choimisiúnaithe iontacha agus as imeachtaí ar leith. Breis is 75,000 saothar ealaíne atá sa bhailiúchán buan ina bhfuil pictiúir, dealbha, suiteálacha, léirithe agus a lán eile, agus bítear seasta ag cur leis. Tugann Tate aire don bhailiúchán sin thar ceann an phobail agus bíonn sé an-ghníomhach ó thaobh saothair a thabhairt ar iasacht do mhúsaeim agus gailearaithe eile sa Ríocht Aontaithe agus ar fud an domhain. I gcomhair tuilleadh eolais, tabhair cuairt ar tate.org.uk agus lean @Tate.
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