Letter from Dublin

Apollo, Sept, 2004 by Nigel McKinley

The beautiful portrait by John Butler Yeats, on the cover of this year's Apollo Irish Art & Antiques Feature, depicts the singer, Maire Nic Shiubhlaigh and provides a foretaste of an exhibition that celebrates the centenary of the Abbey, Ireland's national theatre. This exhibition in the National Gallery of Ireland's Milltown Wing (19 October-16 January) will bring together a choice selection of portraits and busts from two collections: the Irish National Portrait Collection and that of the Abbey Theatre itself. When it opened in 1904 the theatre's foyer was hung with portraits by John Butler Yeats and since that time the collection has grown to over sixty works by several renowned artists. One exhibit is William Orpen's strong portrait of the dramatist, Lady Augusta Gregory, who with W B Yeats and others established the Irish Literary Theatre in 1899, which five years later became the Abbey Theatre. The National Gallery's main international show this autumn is in the Millennium Wing and is the first ever wide-ranging survey of German Romanticist painting to appear in Dublin. "A German Dream: Masterpieces of Romanticism from the Nationalgalerie Berlin" (16 October-30 January) comprises some sixty works that document the development of this movement (1800-60) from portraits and idealized landscapes of the Goethe period to the literature inspired narratives of the later years. Artists include Carl Blechen, Caspar David Friedrich (see illustration), Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Moritz von Schwind.

Last of this autumn's displays at the National Gallery, but not at all least is an exhibition that highlights 150 years of the Watercolour Society of Ireland. The society evolved in the late 19th century from an amateur drawing society set up in Lismore, Co. Waterford. Since its foundation there have been over a thousand members of the society, many of whom have made a valuable contribution to the history of Irish art and the promotion of works on paper. Over forty of the best examples of work by past members are exhibited, including the following artists, well-known to Irish collectors: Walter Osborne (see illustration), William Orpen (see illustration), Sarah Purser, Jack Hanlon, Letitia Hamilton, Harry Clarke, Mainie Jellett, Anne Yeats and Rose Barton. The exhibition is drawn from the Gallery's permanent collection as well as loans from both public and private collections in Ireland. Also illustrated in this article is a new watercolour acquisition for the gallery by Samuel Frederick Brocas (1792-1847). They have also acquired: a Portrait of James FitzGerald, 20th Earl of Kildare, later Duke of Leinster by Robert Hunter (c.1715/20-c.1803); Walter Osborne's The Dublin Streets: A Vendor of Books, which was bequeathed by John Hamilton Hunter and George Barret's oil painting, A wooded river landscape with figures and horses at a ford and fallow deer in a clearing purchased at Christies, London this year

In the meantime the visitor to Dublin should not the miss the large number of picture galleries in the city. In July 1 crossed the threshold of some 25 galleries, many of which are advertising in these pages. Using the National Gallery as a starting point one can stroll up to the Royal Hibernian Academy's Gallagher Gallery in Ely Place to view a major exhibition of Martin Gale's paintings and then visit The Taylor Galleries, who will be having a selling exhibition of his work. Round the block is Molesworth Street, home to a number of art establishments. Jorgensen Fine Art have a fine Georgian building to themselves and will be showing exquisite bronze sculpture by Olivia Musgrove in September, inspired by Greek and Irish mythology followed by the carefully observed still life paintings of Ian McAllister in October. They will also be exhibiting Irish and European artists at the Irish Antique Dealers Fair (sec illustration). Paintings by Anuie Robinson can always be seen at the Apollo Gallery in Dawson Street; daughter of the late Markey Robinson, her work is much more readily available than that of her father, though also proving popular. They also have another thriving artist in William Mulhall, who is making a name for himself as a portrait painter of musicians and writers. Recently opened is Hillsboro Fine Art tucked down Anne's Lane and opposite The Kerlin Gallery. One of the longer established Dublin galleries is the Solomon Gallery, who are based at the top of the Powerscourt Town House Centre. They have a busy exhibition schedule that culminates in their exhibition of important Irish modern and contemporary art in the second half of October. Behind them in South william Street one finds Combridge Fine Arts with a large gallery space on two floors and The Kennedy Gallery, a walk away on the other side of St Stephen's Green with its new tramlines. The Kennedy Gallery is stuffed full of artists' materials and easels as well as having a second floor hung with a wide range of paintings, including an exhibition of Thomas Ryan's watercolours in October. Other contemporary galleries can be found in Temple Bar, particularly for prints, the most notable being the Graphic Studio Gallery, who exhibit internationally and across the river the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, whose impressive portrait exhibition by Mick O'Dea has recently closed.