Expand+In the middle of the nineteenth century, Thomas Davis called for a ‘National Art’ which was not just of the nation, but for the nation. Writing in a time of increasing national fervour, Davis perceived what had been lacking in Irish art and set about...

Hide-In the middle of the nineteenth century, Thomas Davis called for a ‘National Art’ which was not just of the nation, but for the nation. Writing in a time of increasing national fervour, Davis perceived what had been lacking in Irish art and set about trying to change this. A study of art in Ireland since 1700 reveals a complex mix of class division, popular imagery, identity formation, and both silence and activism. It also demonstrates Ireland’s reflection of itself and engagement with the wider world through migrant artists and international styles. This course seeks to provide a grounding in Irish art history to both newcomers and the generally interested alike. Developing across eight weeks, the art of Ireland will be discussed against its historical context, from the Georgian Period and the Act of Union, to Catholic Emancipation and Home Rule, and ultimately to the legacies of Independence and Partition.

Expand+Week 1 – Enlightenment: commencing in the Georgian Period, we will consider the great voices of Ireland – Jonathan Swift, Edmund Burke, and Henry Grattan – in conjunction with the art of James Barry, Nathaniel Grogan, Thomas Roberts, and Francis Whea...

Hide-Week 1 – Enlightenment: commencing in the Georgian Period, we will consider the great voices of Ireland – Jonathan Swift, Edmund Burke, and Henry Grattan – in conjunction with the art of James Barry, Nathaniel Grogan, Thomas Roberts, and Francis Wheatley.

Week 2 – Revolution: we will trace the aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion, the emergence of the Romantic aesthetic in Irish art – where individual experience supersedes rationality – and the work of Francis Danby, Robert Fagan, and Samuel Forde.

Week 3 – Emancipation: we will examine the development of art institutions and the post-Emancipation period in which artists John Hogan, Daniel MacDonald, and Daniel Maclise thrived.

Week 4 – Division: we will focus on the aftermath of the Great Famine in order to trace the shifts in Irish art, from the academic artist to the self-taught painter.

Week 5 – Independence: we will address the art of the Revival and the early years of the Irish Free State, including the work of William Orpen and Seán Keating.

Week 6 – Abstraction: labelled ‘artistic malaria’ by some, we explore the work of Mainie Jellett, Evie Hone, and Mary Swanzy and the emergence of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art (IELA).

Week 7 – Troubles: from abstraction we turn to profound social engagement with artists Robert Ballagh, Rita Duffy, and Micheal Farrell highlighting the legacy of Irish partition.

Week 8 – Now: our final class will reflect on contemporary art practice and new media, from the video and photography of Dorothy Cross to the street art of Maser.

This short course will consist of 16 hours teaching time spread across 8 weeks.