The drawing as a representative of European art history: With around 50 works from its own collection, the National Gallery of Ireland illustrates how art has evolved from the 15th to the 21st century. It reflects the changing tastes and techniques over time and showcases the breadth of the gallery’s collection through its diverse styles. In addition to drawings, the exhibition also features prints, watercolors, and photographs. It explores significant eras and art movements such as the Renaissance, the Baroque, Impressionism, and German Expressionism. Rembrandt to Matisse – A Celebration of European Works on Paper runs through December 6 in Dublin.
In addition to Rembrandt van Rijn and Henri Matisse, the exhibition also features works by Max Beckmann, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Albrecht Dürer, Käthe Kollwitz, Andrea Mantegna, Pablo Picasso, and Armand Seguin, as well as several Irish artists such as Roderic O’Conor, William Leech, Mary Swanzy, and Nathaniel Hone the Younger. The latter (1831–1917) is considered the first Irish painter in modern art history to have worked abroad, notably in Barbizon and the Mediterranean region, including Athens. After Hone’s death, his widow bequeathed over 500 oil paintings and approximately 900 watercolors and drawings by the artist to the National Gallery of Ireland.
