The National Art Gallery

of Ireland, Dublin

Phil and Molly's images from the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin will encourage you to visit and appreciate the variety of paintings on exhibition - you have to see the real works to get the true picture! Images from 2008 and 2026

[Author and photographer © Dr Phil Brown PhD plus notes help from AI, updated June 11th 2026]

Notes on the National Art Gallery of Ireland

Dublin Scenes and Notes Index

The National Art Gallery, Merrion Street, Dublin

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There are rooms full of the work of Irish artists from the 18th-20th century. We are very fond of the landscape and people of the West Coast of Ireland e.g. Cork, Galway (especially Connemara), Kerry, Donegal, so we especially love the work of Paul Henry. The National Gallery also has many paintings from Renaissance and 17thC/18thC Baroque Italy, Spanish and Dutch art. There are always extra-special exhibitions e.g. 'Impressionist Interiors' in May 2008.

Notes on the National Art Gallery of Ireland

European Art 1850-1950

The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin has a really good collection of paintings from this era.

The main European Art Gallery 1850-1950 in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Artist Peter Doig, 1959, painting 'Concrete Cabin West Side'

details

Artist Hannah Hoch, 1937, painting 'Duft (Fragrance'

Pierre August Renoir, 1873, painting 'Young Woman in White Reading'

Artist Eva Gonzales, 1877-1878, painting 'Children on the Sand Dunes, Grandcamp'

Artist Lucian Freud, 2008, painting 'Profile Donegal Man'

Artist Richard Thomas Moynan, 1891, 'Military Manoeuvres'

Painter artist George Collie, 1927, painting 'The Midday Meal'

Artist painter Mainie Jellet, 1923, painting 'Achill Horses'

Artist painter Jack B. Yeats, 1951, painting 'Grief'

Artist painter Jack B. Yeats, 1946, painting 'Men of Destiny'

Artist painter Jack B. Yeats, 1945, painting 'No Flowers'

Artist painter Jack B. Yeats, 1949, painting 'The Singing Horseman'

Artist painter Joseph Malachy Kavanagh, 1895 painting 'Carting Seaweed on Sutton Sands'

Artist painter Michael George Brennan, 1866 painting 'A Vine Pergola at Capri'

Stained glass artist Harry Clarke, 1917 'The Song of the Mad Prince'

Stained glass artist Harry Clarke, glass panel of 1922 'The Enchantment of Bottom by Titania'

Stained glass panels by the artist Evie Hone c. 1940s of 'Saint Christopher, Head of St John and Heads of Two Apostles.'

Stained glass artist Evie Hone, c. 1947, 'The Cock and Pot, commonly known as the Betrayal'

Artist painter Baron Francois Gerard, painting 'Julie Bonaparte as Queen of Spain her daughters Zenaide and Charlotte'

'Departing Boats, Nidden', oil on canvas 1920, by the artist Max Pechstein (National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin)

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin's Jack B. Yeats oil on canvas ~1937 'Morning in a City'

Another Jack B. Yeats oil on canvas 'Flower Girl, Dublin' of 1926, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Sunlight', oil on panel painting of ~1925 by the Irish artist William Orpen, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Girl with a Red Ribbon', oil on board painting 1908, by the German artist Gabriele Munter

Right: 'The Sunshade' ~1903, oil on canvas ~1913 by the Irish artist William Leach

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Bretonne', oil on canvas ~1903-1904 by the Irish artist Roderic O'Conor

Right: 'Boy Eating Cherries', 1895 by the French artist Pierre Bonnard

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Pierrot', oil on canvas 1921, by the Spanish artist Juan Gris, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Flanders Fields', mixed media on canvas 1962 by the Scottish artist William Crozier, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Still Life witha Mandolin', oil on canvas 1924 by the Spanish artist Pablo Ruiz Picasso, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Terrace, Saint-Tropez', oil on canvas 1898 by the French artist Paul Signac, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Red Earth', oil on canvas 1919, by the English artist Roger Fry, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Young Woman in White Reading', oil on canvas, 1873 by the French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Right: 'Le Corsage Noir', oil on canvas 1878, by the French painter Berthe Morisot

Paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Le Petit Dejeuner', oil on canvas, 1881 painting by the Irish artist Sarah Purser

Right: 'Portrait of a Young Girl', oil on canvas ~1863, by the French painter Theodule Ribot

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat', oil on canvas 1874 by the French artist Claude Monet, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Children on the Sand Dunes', oil on canvas 1877-1878 by the French artist Eva Gonzales, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Goose Girl', oil on canvas ~1921, by the English painter Stanley Royle, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Three Crows Inn, Gravesend', oil on canvas ~1873, by the French artist James Tissot, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Gleaners', oil on canvas 1854 by the French painter Jules Breton, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Portrait of Nathaniel Hone 91831-1917)', oil on canvas 1870 by the French painter Edouard Brandon

Right: 'Rue Mont-Cenis', oil on canvas ~1872 by the French artist Stanislas Lepine

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Bead-stringers of Venice', oil on canvas 1880-1882, by the English artist John singer Sargent, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Marguerite in Church', oil on canvas ~1861 by the French painter James Tissot, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Demosthenes on the Seashore', oil on paper, laid on wood panel, by the French artist Eugene Delacroix, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Above: 'Man in a Red Cloak', oil on panel 1867, by the French artist-painter Ernest Meissonier

Below: 'A Song', oil on panel 1875, by the French artist-painter Ernest Meissonier

both by the French artist-painter Ernest Meissonier, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Group of Cavaltry in the Snow: Moreau and Dessoles before Hohenlinden', oil on wood panel 1875, by the French painter Ernest Meissonier, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Woman in an Eastern Courtyard', oil on canvas 1860-1865, by the French painter Gustave Guillaumet

Right: 'Guards at the Door of a Tomb', oil on canvas 1870s, by the French artist Jean-Leon Gerome

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Caravan on the Nile', oil on canvas ~1897, by the French artist Jean-Leon Gerome, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Shepherd and Sheep', oil on panel ~1885-1888, by the Dutch painter Anton Mauve, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Fourth Portrait of Dolores', bronze casting 1923, by the American sculptor Jacob Epstein, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

A selection of sculptures in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Art from other periods and galleries of the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

One of the older galleries of the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Saints Cosmas and damian and their Brothers Surviving the Stake', ~1439-1442 by the Italian artist Fra Angelico, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Crucifixion', ~1460s by the Italian artist Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia

Right: 'Rest on Flight into Egypt with the Infant Saint John the Baptist', ~1494 by the Italian painter Francesco Granacci

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints', ~1470 by the Italian artist Zanobi di Jacapo Machiavelli, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Annunciation', ~1435 painting by the French artist Jacques Yverni, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'The Childhood of Bacchus', ~1627-1630 by the artist Jean Lemaire

right: 'Saint Agnes', ~1670 by the Italian painter Carlo Dolci

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Taking of Christ', 1602, painting by the Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'A Man Singing by Candlelight', ~1625-1635, painting byAdam de Coster, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Peasant Wedding', 1620 painting by the Dutch artist Pieter Brueghel the Younger, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Christ in the House of Martha and David', 1628 painting by the artist Jan Brueghel the Younger and Peter Paul Rubens in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Scene on the Ice', 1620 painting by the Dutch artist Hendrick Avercamp, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Landscape with the Rest on the Flight in to Egypt', 1647 painting by the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'A View of Dublin from Chapelizod', 1795-1798 painting by the English artist William Ashford, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'The Conjuror', 1775 painting by the Irish artist Nathaniel Hone, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Left: 'Portrait of Dona Antonia Zarate, Actress, ~1805-1806 painting by the artist Francisco Jose de Goya

Right: 'The Cottage Girl', painting of 1785 by the English artist Thomas Gainsborough

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

'Portrait of Sir John and Lay Clerk of Penicuik', painting of 1791 by Henry Raeburn, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Pathos of Distance by Sarah Pierce, 2016 exhibtion in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The 'Pathos of Distance' exhibition by Sarah Piercein the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The foyer, cafe, shop and GBS in  the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The sculptured figure of George Bernard Shaw by the artist and sculptor Prince Paul Troubetzkoy, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The cafe of National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The book and gift shop in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

The National Gallery of Ireland

in Dublin is the country’s principal collection of Irish and European art, founded in 1854 and opened to the public in 1864 with just 112 paintings. Today it holds more than 16,300 artworks, spanning Western art from c.1300 to the present, and is one of Europe’s most significant mid‑sized national collections.

What the Gallery Collects: Irish & European Art

Irish Art

The Gallery holds the most comprehensive national collection of Irish painting, including:

• Jack B. Yeats – the Yeats Archive preserves extensive material on Yeats and his family.

• William Orpen – portraits and war‑era works.

• Walter Osborne – key Impressionist‑influenced Irish painter.

• Roderic O’Conor – Post‑Impressionist with strong French connections.

• Mainie Jellett & Evie Hone – pioneers of Irish Modernism.

• Paul Henry – iconic West‑of‑Ireland landscapes.

These works chart Ireland’s artistic development from the 18th century through modernism and into contemporary practice.

European Art

The Gallery’s European holdings are internationally respected, especially in:

• Italian Renaissance & Baroque – including works by Mantegna, Titian, and a major highlight: Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ, a masterpiece rediscovered in Dublin.

• Dutch Golden Age – strong in Rembrandt’s circle and Dutch masters.

• Spanish Art – including Goya and Velázquez’s school.

• French 19th Century – Impressionists such as Monet (Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat).

• British Art – Gainsborough, Reynolds, and others.

• Modern European Art – Picasso, Bonnard, and 20th‑century works.

The collection also includes sculpture, prints, drawings, photography, silverware, furniture, and objets d’art.

Prominent Artists Represented

Some of the most significant artists in the Gallery’s holdings include:

• Caravaggio – The Taking of Christ

• Vermeer – Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid (key holding)

• Goya – Doña Antonia Zárate

• Rembrandt & Dutch masters

• Monet – Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat

• Picasso – drawings and prints

• Mantegna, Titian, Tintoretto – Italian Renaissance

• Jack B. Yeats, Orpen, Osborne, Henry, O’Conor – Irish masters

These works place the Gallery firmly within the European museum tradition while maintaining a strong national identity.

History of the National Gallery of Ireland

Origins (1852–1864)

• The idea for a national gallery emerged after the Great Industrial Exhibition of 1853, funded by railway magnate William Dargan, whose art displays drew huge crowds.

• A committee known as the Irish Institution campaigned for a permanent gallery.

• Architect Francis Fowke designed the building, with the façade deliberately echoing the Natural History Museum opposite.

• The Gallery opened on 30 January 1864.

Growth Through Bequests

• Milltown Bequest (1901) – over 200 paintings, silver, furniture, and books from Russborough House; required a new wing (Milltown Wing, 1899–1903).

• Turner Bequest – 31 J.M.W. Turner watercolours, exhibited only in January by stipulation.

• Beit Wing (1968) – major extension designed by Frank DuBerry.

Modern Era

• The Gallery has continued to expand through acquisitions, conservation projects, and major refurbishments, including 21st‑century upgrades to the historic wings.

Architecture of the Gallery

The Gallery complex today consists of several interconnected wings:

• Original 1864 Building – classical façade, symmetry, and restrained Victorian museum architecture.

• Milltown Wing (1903) – by Thomas Newenham Deane, built to house the Milltown Bequest.

• Beit Wing (1968) – modernist extension for additional galleries.

• Recent Renovations – conservation‑led upgrades to improve circulation, lighting, and climate control.

The building sits prominently on Merrion Square West, beside Leinster House, forming part of Dublin’s cultural quarter.

Visiting the Gallery

• Location: Merrion Square West, Dublin 2

• Admission: Free to the permanent collection

• Opening Hours: Typically 9:15–17:30 (later on Thursdays)

A curated highlights tour of the National Gallery of Ireland works best when it flows like a real visit: beginning with the Irish masters, moving into the European treasures, and ending with the two great “pilgrimage” works—Caravaggio and Vermeer.
Below is a structured, gallery‑friendly route you can follow on your next visit to Dublin.

Curated Highlights Tour

A focused journey through Irish art, European masterpieces, Yeats, and Caravaggio.

1. Irish Art Highlights

These works define the Gallery’s national identity and show the evolution of Irish painting from the 18th century to modernism.

Jack B. Yeats — The Liffey Swim (1923)

A dynamic, modernist celebration of Dublin life. Yeats’s thick impasto and swirling colour capture the energy of the annual river race.

William Orpen — The Signing of Peace in the Hall of Mirrors

Orpen’s monumental First World War painting blends portraiture with political theatre.

Walter Osborne — Tea in the Garden

A gentle, Impressionist‑inflected domestic scene; Osborne’s handling of light is exquisite.

Roderic O’Conor — Yellow Landscape

Bold, Fauvist colour from the Irishman who moved in the same circles as Gauguin in Pont‑Aven.

Mainie Jellett & Evie Hone

Pioneers of Irish abstraction and Cubism; their works mark Ireland’s leap into European modernism.

2. European Masterpieces

The Gallery’s European collection is astonishingly strong for a mid‑sized national museum.

Vermeer — Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid

One of only ~34 Vermeers in existence. A serene, luminous domestic interior with Vermeer’s signature mastery of light.

Goya — Doña Antonia Zárate

A psychologically rich portrait from Goya’s mature period.

Monet — Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat

A shimmering Impressionist river scene, painted during Monet’s most lyrical period.

Mantegna, Titian, Tintoretto

Renaissance highlights that show the Gallery’s depth in Italian art.

3. The Yeats Room — A Must‑See

The dedicated Yeats Room is one of the most atmospheric spaces in the Gallery.

Jack B. Yeats — The Singing Horseman

A late, expressionistic work full of movement and emotional intensity.

Jack B. Yeats — The Greyness of Mist

A poetic, moody landscape that shows Yeats’s shift toward abstraction.

The Yeats Archive also preserves manuscripts, sketchbooks, and family material, making this one of the most important Yeats collections in the world.

4. Caravaggio — The Taking of Christ

Caravaggio — The Taking of Christ (1602)

The Gallery’s most famous painting and one of the great Baroque masterpieces.

• Rediscovered in Dublin in 1990 after being lost for centuries

• A dramatic, chiaroscuro‑rich depiction of Judas’s betrayal

• Caravaggio himself appears holding the lantern

This is the single most important painting in Ireland and a pilgrimage work for art lovers worldwide.

Suggested Route Through the Gallery

A practical flow for a real visit:

1. Irish Art Galleries — Osborne → Orpen → O’Conor → Jellett/Hone

2. Yeats Room — linger here; it’s one of the Gallery’s most atmospheric spaces

3. European Masters — Vermeer → Goya → Monet → Italian Renaissance

4. Caravaggio Room — end with The Taking of Christ

This route takes about 60–90 minutes at a relaxed pace.

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