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The Art of Painting

Watercolour drawing of a paint palette, paintbrushes and a jug of water.
Beatrice ‘Bea’ Orpen (1913-80), 'Sketch of painting utensils', 1933, Watercolour on paper, Centre for the Study of Irish Art. © Gift of The Family of Bea Orpen. Image, National Gallery of Ireland.

April 2027 - April 2028
Room 11 | Free admission

The Library & Archives of the National Gallery of Ireland houses an extensive and rich collection of material that documents the artistic development and processes of many of the artists whose paintings hang on the Gallery’s walls. The Art of Painting will display items from this collection, to trace the conception and creation of a painted picture. From the sources that inspire artists most, to their paints, palettes, and preparatory works, this exhibition will follow the painter’s path as their pictures come to life.

Ranging from 17th-century drawings to the archives of Mary Swanzy, Michael Cullen, Anne Yeats, William Orpen, Roderic O’Conor, and many more, The Art of Painting will present library and archival highlights across the collections. Drawing on two distinct themes, ‘The Painter’s World’ and ‘The Painter’s Studio’, this show will explore how painters have been informed and inspired over the centuries, while also showing examples of their studies.

Curators: Ruairí Sheanon, H.W. Wilson Foundation Fellow, Marie Lynch, Curator of the Centre for the Study of Irish Art, Andrea Lydon, Head of Library, Archives and Research Services, and Leah Benson, Archivist

Also coming in 2027: