Did you know that you could wander off the street in Dublin, up a few flights of stairs and suddenly be standing in a room where it’s just you, a Monet, and a security man? No crowds but all the timeless masterpieces, Hugh Lane Gallery is Dublin’s best-kept artsy secret. Here are our favourite paintings from the Gallery!
Home to one of the most fascinating exhibits—a meticulous reconstruction of Francis Bacon’s chaotic London studio—this gallery combines tradition, innovation, and a dash of eccentricity. Step inside, and you’ll find yourself transported into a world of colours, thought-provoking installations, and stories that leap off the canvas. But that’s absolutely not all that’s on offer! Here are my 3 favourite paintings that are not Francis Bacon’s studio!
1. ‘Kathleen Clarke’ by Brian Maguire
This 2021 portrait was created by Brian Maguire in response to a limited competition for a commission of Kathleen Clarke by Dublin City Council to hang in City Hall. Kathleen Clarke (1878 – 1972) was a founder member of Cumann na mBan, a women’s republican paramilitary organisation formed in Ireland in 1914, and was one of very few people with advance knowledge of the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule.
She was the wife of Tom Clarke and sister of Ned Daly, both of whom were executed for their part in the Rising. She was subsequently a Teachta Dála (TD) and a Senator with both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil, and the first female Lord Mayor of Dublin (1939–1941).
Next door to the famous paintings of Degas and Monet, – the sheer size and colour of this portrait is striking against the artists of old. The serenity of the blue paints lends a tranquil tone to the top of this painting, descending into chaos as the eye falls further down. It seems a perfect tribute to a woman who was so instrumental in the foundations of the Republic of Ireland, balancing not only the chaos of the times but also womanhood.
2. ‘Sur la Plage’ by Edgar Degas
In this painting, a maid combs the hair of a girl who has been swimming; her bathing suit is stretched out on the ground to dry. Other objects – two parasols, a basket and a summer bonnet – are scattered around. A family group is leaving the shoreline, as other people stroll in the distance.
This is one of four beach scenes that Degas painted in around 1869, when he travelled to the coast of northern France, although he later stated that the picture had been completed in the studio. Small paintings of beach and seaside scenes in resorts such as Trouville were popular with several of Degas’s contemporaries, including Boudin, Monet and Manet. Degas was a great admirer of Japanese prints, and adopted many aspects of their composition as well as their subject matter. The motif of a woman combing her hair or having it combed, which features in many Japanese prints, became part of his repertoire.
I was personally surprised to uncover a Degas hanging unassumingly on the wall, and it seemed strange that I was able to get so close- with just one security guard watching and not throngs of tourists. This beautiful little piece of Degas is small in size, and offers a glimpse of a quiet beach scene. For me, I love this depiction of a quiet affection between maid and young girl, with her sprawled out while the maid diligently combs her hair.
3. Lavacourt Under Snow, Claude Monet
This painting was originally titled Vétheuil: Sunshine and Snow in the 1908 catalogue. The scene, however, shows Lavacourt on the opposite bank of the River Seine. The most likely reason for the assumption that it was Vétheuil is the fact that Monet lived there between 1878 and 1881. When this work was exhibited at the Grafton Galleries, London in 1905, an attempt was made to purchase it by subscription so that a British public collection would acquire a painting by Monet for the first time. However, this attempt came to naught and Lavacourt Under Snow was purchased by Hugh Lane.
The artist often signed his works long after completion, adding dates, which were sometimes inaccurate. Monet’s move to Vétheuil was the start of a period of isolation from the Impressionist group as he became disillusioned with the group activities in the 1870s. At this time, Monet’s financial situation was precarious and the artist and his family shared a house with a bankrupt former patron, Ernest Hoschedé.
Monet did a number of similar views and it is taken from the riverbank looking upstream with some ramshackle houses on the right. In one respect, it is quite a traditional rural scene untouched by industrialisation. The composition is simple allowing the artist to focus on the light effects on the snow in the foreground. Monet was fascinated by the extremes of weather and the winter of 1879-1880 was a severe one and inspired many paintings of snow scenes.
Again, I was surprised that I could wander off the street in Dublin, up a few flights of stairs and suddenly be standing in a room where it was just me and (a) Monet- and, of course, that same weary security man. Unlike the Degas, I didn’t originally recognize this Monet as a Monet and it called to me for a different reason. I love the cosiness of this snowy rural countryside scene, and from reading the above description- realize that those streaks of colour are the lasting impacts of Monet’s impressionist days!
Have you been to The Hugh Lane Gallery recently, what’s your favourite?
Did you know you can visit the Hugh Lane Art Gallery for free?
The gallery is located in Charlemont House, Parnell Square North, Dublin City.
Opening Hours:
- Tues to Thurs 9:45 am – 6:00 pm
- Fri 9:45 am – 5:00 pm
- Sat 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sun 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
For more information, visit hughlane.ie.
