Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass at the National Gallery of Ireland

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This summer, the National Gallery of Ireland proudly presents Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass, an in-focus exhibition celebrating the 20th-century French artist whose experimental glassmaking techniques remain influential to this day. After gaining early recognition as part of the radical group of painters known as the Fauves, Maurice Marinot (1882–1960) turned his attention to transforming the art of glassmaking. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the most innovative glassmakers of his generation. This exhibition brings together a selection of his work—including paintings, drawings, and glass objects—many of which will be on show for the first time. Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass runs from 2 August 2025 to 25 January 2026 in the Sir Hugh Lane Room. Admission is free.

Born in Troyes, Marinot began training as a painter at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1901 but was expelled for being a “dangerous non-conformist”. A revelatory visit to the Viard glassworks at Bar-sur-Seine (near Troyes) at the age of 29 led Marinot to turn to glass, writing in a letter: “I discovered glass in its living state on visiting glassworks owned by friends in 1911 and felt great enthusiasm and fierce desire to engage in this new game.”

Marinot began to score blown glass in new ways—repeatedly submerging his forms in acid to produce deep, precisely incised patterns. The result was a series of tactile, sculptural pieces crafted from unusually thick, weighty glass. His distinctive new aesthetic, characterised by stylised, geometric etched lines, is exemplified in his 1927 white flagon, featured in this exhibition.

Marinot further challenged conventions by deliberately incorporating air bubbles suspended in glass, not as imperfections, but as integral design elements. The cubed paperweight of 1927, also featured, contains a central sphere encased in shimmering metallic bubbles, evoking the energy of atoms or a captive sea urchin. The vivid, mottled colours of his glass, achieved through the addition of metal oxide powders during the glassblowing process, earned him the moniker Le Fauve de Verre “The Wild Beast of Glass”.

Maurice Marinot - On Paper, In Glass also features a selection of his portraits and still-life drawings from the late 1940s, alongside pastel landscapes from 1958, all inspired by the environs of his hometown Troyes.

In 1970, Florence Marinot, the artist’s daughter, gifted 48 works across different media to the National Gallery of Ireland in recognition of the strength of its collection of Modern French paintings. This very special exhibition honours her generous contribution and celebrates her father as a major figure in the history of modern glassmaking.

Niamh MacNally, Curator of the exhibition and Curator of the Prints & Drawings Study Room said: “Marinot’s approach to material and form transformed glass from a utilitarian craft into a profoundly expressive art form. By presenting his paintings, drawings, and exceptional glass pieces side by side, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to trace the full arc of his creative vision.”

Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said: “Maurice Marinot was a true original—an artist who brought the same expressive force to glass as he did to painting. His bold experimentation, poetic colour, and sculptural forms transformed the possibilities of the medium. This exhibition invites audiences to rediscover a remarkable body of work and to celebrate the enduring legacy of an artist whose vision still feels wholly modern.”

The Gallery would like to thank the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport for its ongoing support.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Notes to Editor:

  • Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland is available for interview
  • Exhibition curator Niamh MacNally is available for interview

Exhibition listing:

Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass
Sir Hugh Lane Room, National Gallery of Ireland
02 August 2025 to 25 January 2026
Free admission 
Curated by Niamh MacNally, Curator of the Prints & Drawings Study Room

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.
www.nationalgallery.ie   
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/national-gallery-of-ireland
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Facebook: @nationalgalleryofireland

 

Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass 
Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann

Is cúis bhróid é ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann an taispeántas Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass a chur i láthair an samhradh seo. Ba ón Fhrainc do Maurice Marinot, ealaíontóir a mhair sa chéad seo caite, agus bíonn a chuid teicnící ceannródaíocha fós ag dul i bhfeidhm ar ealaíontóirí gloine sa lá atá inniu ann. Tá a shaothar á cheiliúradh againn leis an taispeántas seo. As ucht a bheith páirteach sa bhuíon radacach péintéirí ar a dtugtar Les Fauves a bhain Maurice Marinot (1882–1960) cáil amach ar dtús, agus ansin chuir sé roimhe ceird na healaíne gloine a athrú ó bhonn. Meastar go forleathan anois go raibh sé ar dhuine de na hoibrithe gloine ba nuálaí dá ghlúin. Tá saothair éagsúla dá chuid le feiceáil sa taispeántas seo – agus pictiúir, líníochtaí, agus réada gloine ina measc – agus cuid mhaith acu ar taispeáint den chéad uair. Beidh Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass ar siúl ón 2 Lúnasa 2025 go dtí an 25 Eanáir 2026 i Seomra Sir Hugh Lane. Tá saorchead isteach chuig an taispeántas.

I mbaile Troyes a rugadh Marinot agus thosaigh sé ag foghlaim cheird an phéintéara ag an École des Beaux-Arts in 1901. Díbríodh as an scoil sin é mar gheall ar ‘a mheon contúirteach, nach raibh ag teacht le meon a phiarghrúpa’. Tar éis dó cuairt a thabhairt ar oibreacha gloine Viard in Bar-sur-Seine (gar do Troyes) agus é 29 mbliana d’aois, chuir sé spéis mhór sa ghloine, agus scríobh sé i litir: “Tháinig mé ar ghloine ina riocht beo agus mé ag tabhairt cuairt ar oibreacha gloine le cairde liom in 1911. Spreag an chuairt sin díograis ollmhór ionam agus bhí an-fhonn go deo orm tabhairt faoin gceird nua seo.”

Thosaigh Marinot ag úsáid teicnicí nua chun gloine séidte a scríobadh – bhíodh sé ag tumadh a chuid réad in aigéad arís agus arís eile chun patrúin a ghreanadh go beacht, domhain iontu. Ar an gcaoi sin, rinne sé saothair éagsúla as gloine ní ba thibhe agus ní ba throime ná mar ba ghnách le healaíontóirí a úsáid an tráth sin, saothair a mbeadh fonn ort iad a láimhseáil. Tá a aeistéitic shainiúil úr, arb iad na línte geoiméadracha greanta, stílithe a saintréith, le sonrú sa fhlaigín bán (1927) atá le feiceáil sa taispeántas seo.

Chuir Marinot dúshlán ghnásanna a linne freisin trí bhoilgeoga aeir a chur ar fuaidreamh sa ghloine – ní locht ar an ngloine a bhí i gceist, ach gné dhílis den dearadh féin. Sféar a bhfuil boilgeoga miotalacha lonracha thart timpeall air is ea an tromán páipéir i gcruth ciúib (1927) atá ar taispeáint anseo freisin, agus chuirfeadh sé fuinneamh na n-adamh nó cuán mara atá sáinnithe sa ghloine i gcuimhne duit. Dathanna gléineacha, breaca atá ar a chuid saothar, rud a baineadh amach trí phúdar ocsaíde miotail a chur leis an ngloine agus í á séideadh, agus tugadh an leasainm Le Fauve de Verre nó ‘Alltán na Gloine’ air dá bharr sin.

Tá rogha dá phortráidí agus líníochtaí d’ábhair neamhbheo ó dheireadh na 1940idí le feiceáil in Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass chomh maith, mar aon le tírdhreacha pastail ó 1958, agus iad go léir spreagtha ag ceantar a bhaile dúchais, Troyes.

In 1970, bhronn Florence Marinot, iníon an ealaíontóra, 48 saothar a rinneadh i meáin éagsúla ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann mar aitheantas ar fhiúntas an bhailiúcháin nua-ealaíne ón Fhrainc atá ag an nGailearaí. Leis an taispeántas speisialta seo, léirítear meas ar an mbronntanas a thug sí go fial flaithiúil dúinn agus déantar a cheiliúradh gur pearsa mór le rá é a hathair i stair na healaíne gloine nua-aimseartha.

Arsa Niamh MacNally, coimeádaí an taispeántais agus Coimeádaí Sheomra Staidéir na bPriontaí agus na Líníochtaí: “D’fhág an cur chuige a bhí ag Marinot i leith ábhair agus foirme gur athraíodh ceird na healaíne gloine ó rud feidhmiúil, praiticiúil go dtí foirm ealaíne lán brí. Agus pictiúir, líníochtaí agus saothair ghloine den scoth leis á gcur i láthair in aon áit amháin, is deis annamh é an taispeántas seo chun a fhís chruthaitheach a rianú feadh a ghairme.”

Arsa an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: “Ba dhuine ann féin é Maurice Marinot – ealaíontóir a bhíodh ag plé le gloine leis an neart agus leis an bhfuinneamh céanna a léirigh sé agus é i mbun péinteála. A bhuí lena dhúthracht ó thaobh triail a bhaint as teicnicí nua, leis an gcur chuige ealaíonta a bhí aige i leith dathanna, agus le cruthanna a chuid saothar, bhain sé casadh úrnua as an meán sin. Tugaimid cuireadh don lucht féachana blaiseadh de bhailiúchán iontach sa taispeántas seo agus suntas a thabhairt d’oidhreacht bhuan ealaíontóra a bhfuil a fhís fós ábhartha i saol ár linne.”

Ba mhaith leis an nGailearaí buíochas a ghabháil leis an Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt as an tacaíocht a thugann sí dúinn.

CRÍOCH

Teagmhálaithe na meán:

Nótaí don Eagarthóir:

  • Féadfar an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, a chur faoi agallamh
  • Féadfar coimeádaí an taispeántais, Niamh MacNally, a chur faoi agallamh

Sonraí an taispeántais:

Maurice Marinot – On Paper, In Glass
Seomra Sir Hugh Lane, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann
2 Lúnasa 2025 – 25 Eanáir 2026
Cead isteach saor in aisce 
Coimeádaí an taispeántais: Niamh MacNally, Coimeádaí Sheomra Staidéir na bPriontaí agus na Líníochtaí

Maidir le Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann:

Tá Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann ar cheann de na háiteanna in Éirinn is mó a mheallann cuairteoirí. Is ann atá bailiúchán de shaothair ealaíne ón Eoraip agus ó Éirinn, ó thart ar 1300 go dtí an lá inniu, chomh maith le Leabharlann agus Cartlann fhairsing. Ní ghearrtar aon táille as cuairt a thabhairt ar an mbailiúchán agus tá súil againn go mbainfidh gach duine taitneamh as, go bhfoghlaimeoidh siad uaidh agus gur spreagadh a bheidh ann dóibh.
www.nationalgallery.ie   
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/national-gallery-of-ireland
Twitter: @NGIreland
Instagram: @nationalgalleryofireland
Instagram: @nationalgalleryofireland