The 6 day trip to Ireland - Dublin (Day 2 late afternoon) - Merrion Square, Oscar Wilde Memorial and St. Stephen's Green - The 11th of June 2014

Soon after having walked out of the National Gallery of Ireland we headed towards the Merrion Square which was just a few metres away so as to locate the Oscar Wilde Memorial. It was quite different  from every other memorial we had seen before, but bearing in mind the personal characteristics of Wilde I feel it was appropriate and most original.

Despite being fairly close to where we intended to go to afterwards we found ourselves walking farther away in search of something to eat once we realised we hadn't had anything since the early morning breakfast and it was already late afternoon.

Just around the corner from the Governmental Houses we came across a Café but soon felt discouraged to walk in upon having read what they had written on its outside board, though by then we had already been made aware that the Irish sense of humour was fairly peculiar ...

We had a very tasteful slice of cake and a soft drink in a café across the road to appease the apparent hunger  just before we came across the now closed to the public Huguenot cemetery, hemmed between two modern office buildings.


Having fled France after the edit of Nantes in 1598 and later encouraged by the invitation of the first Duke of Ormond and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, hoping that Ireland's economy would benefit from the Huguenot skills, they quickly became a dynamic community in Dublin, soon enjoying commercial  success in textiles, finance, wine importation, watch making and other businesses, supplemented by a reputation for integrity, as attested by the saying "as honest as a Huguenot".

We then strolled around the beautiful St. Stephen's Green which covers a huge area of approximately 550 by 450 metres. It was very relaxing even though we walked a lot so as to expore its secretive corners with bust statues on and the large lake, homne to ducks and other water fowl. 

 

 

 

Theobal Wolfe Tone (a leading Irish Revolutionary figure regarded as the father of the Irish Republicanism) Memorial.

The great Famine Memorial.

O'Donovan Rossa Memorial (the irish Fenian Leader).

The three Fates'statue (a gift from the German people to thank the Irish for having found foster homes for up to 500 children following World War II).

 

(To be continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 6 day trip to Ireland - Dublin (Day 2 - afternoon cont.) - The National Gallery of Ireland (cont.) - The 11th of June 2014

(...)

The second part of my visit to the National Gallery took me into the world of Irish Fine Art, which I must confess I knew nothig about. To my surprise, even if it may shock a few people I didn't know Yeats painted until I came upon some of his paintings being exhibited.

That part of the National Gallery collection had quite a few restrictions as far as photographing is concerned but I still managed to take a few pictures of some of the paintings, which for one reason or another caught my attention.

The Conjuror (1775) by Nathaniel Hone (1718-1784). The Conjuror's is said to be a rather audacious attack on Sir Joshua Reynolds, who Hone believed to have plagiarised using old master paintings in his own work, which he felt didn't deserve the apraisal it had won. Though the figure of the conjuro is not Reynolds himself it is one of his favourite models. There also seems to be allusion to rumours regarding Reynolds relationship with the artist Angelika Kaufmann.

A view of the Rye Water near Leixlip (1850's) by William Davis (1812-1873). Best known for his views around Liverpool, in Wales and in Scotland Davis must have painted this composition on one of his return visits to Ireland.

A sick call (1863) by Mathew James Lawless (1837-1864). The subject of this sombre painting - a clergyman being rowed across a river to administer the last rites must have had a particular resonance for Lawless, who suffered ill-health for quite some time. A lamp on the boat flickering dimly with another emitting no light at all and a sickle and scattering of cut-flowers suggest that the travelling party's anxious prayers must have been in vain.

The blind piper, Patrick O'Brien (c. 1844) by Joseph Patrick Haverty (1794-1864). This picture is both a portrait of a locally recognisable figure and a representation of a familiar Irish type. Patrick O'Brien, who performed on the street in Limerick for many years is seen here playing the union pipes, a uniquely Irish instrument.

The 16th, 17th (St. patrick's Day) and18th of March (1856) by Erskine Nicol (1825-1904). Though St. Patrick's Day remained for most of the Irish population in the mid-19th century principally an event in the Lithurgical calendar, Nicol has depicted it as an opportunity for commercial enterprise and revelry.

Market day, Finistère (1882) by Harry Jones Thaddeus (1860-1929). Painted in Concarneau, this is Thaddeus most ambitious Breton subject. In the painting the artist demonstrates technical ability executiong detail with care and cleverly manipulating space. The young woman's headdress is specific to the Plougastel region.

The fisherman's mother (c. 1893) by Helen Mabel Trevor (1831-1900). This painting reflects the interest in the customs of the Breton people and the elderly subjects often seen as guardians of tradition.

 

Return from market (1884)  and Portrait of Lady Lavery as Kathleen ni Houlihan (1927) by Sir John Lavery (1856-1941). Having travelled to Grez-sur-Loing in search of new experiences Lavery benefited hugely from the communal atmosphere that prevailed there, to be seen on the first painting. In 1927 Lavery agreed to assist the Currency Commission in the design of the first free State banknotes. He re-worked a portrait of his wife Hazel as Kathleen ni Houlihan, heroine of W. B. Yeats 's play of 1902.

The Dublin streets; a vendor of books (1889) by Walter Frederick Osborne (1859-1903). This composition is a depiction of every day life. It features the view from Aston Quay. Despite being essentially a positive vision the barefoot flower girl hints at the hardships endured by Dublin's poor.

A family (1951) by Louis le Brocquy (1916-2012). Counted among Brocquy's so-called "Gray paintings" a Family was painted in the social upheaval and refugee crisis that followed World War II.

Within this particular gallery the public was still granted the possibility of seeing some well known European painters, namely Murillo,  the Frans Hals circle and Nicolas Poussin.

The prodigal son  driven out (1660's) by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. This is a scene from the popular story of the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance feasting with harlots. In this composition he is shown being driven out by them, while the procuress watches from the shadows.

The lute player by the circle of Frans Hals. Hals took up the subject of large scale figures playing musical instruments so popularised in Holland in the 16th century but because he shared a studio with other members of his family it hasn't been possible to separate their identities.

The Holy family with Saints Anne, Elizabeth and John the Baptist (1649) by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665).

Definitely an afternoon to remember.

The 6 day trip to Ireland - Dublin (Day 2 - afternoon) - The National Gallery of Ireland - The 11th of June 2014

Having had access to the National Gallery, which houses  some 15,000 paintings, sculptures and objects of  Art for free was a real treat, similarly to what had happened not long ago in Scotland. I do personally feel the need of having "Art" in my life and was therefore particularly happy to be able to stroll around the National Gallery 's multiple exhibition rooms for endless hours.

 

I was allowed to take pictures of most of the paintings being exhibited, which ended up being an additional treat I was thankful for, despite the fact that the very few I took can't but be considered  but a sample of the invaluable artistic works I managed to see. 

The denial of St. Peter (1610s)

A music party (1615-18) by Gerard van  Honthorst (1592-1656) - Having been one of the most gifted followers of Caravaggio, Honthorst's painting is not only indebted to the Italian painter's work in terms of subject but also its strong contrast between light and dark.

Peasant Wedding (1620) by Pieter Brueghel, the younger (1564-1637). This painting mocks the behaviour of peasants during a marriage feast. They are seen drinking, dancing, flirting and even fighting over a money pouch.

The village school (1663-65) by Jan Havicksz. Steen (1626-1679). Having been one of the key painters of the Dutch Golden Age Steen provides a humorous insight into Dutch schools of the epoch, when teachers were poorly paid and had a bad reputation.

A lady writing a letter, with her maid (c. 1670) by Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675). Considered one of the greatest Dutch painters Vermeer specialised in stilled impressions of the every day life. This painting is among the most accomplished compositions on the theme of letter writing.

Portrait of Doña Antónia Zarate (1775-1811) by Francisco Goya (1746-1828). Goya painted this famous Spanish actress seated on the yeallow sofa he kept in his studio, capturing a sense of unease in her eyes. This work was ruthlessly cut from its frame when stolen in 1986 and later restored to its former appearance sevn years later.

Parody of Raphael's school of Athens (1751) by Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792). Having been commissioned by Joseph Heny this painting re-captures the caricatured parody of Raphael's fresco in the Vatican stanze. He is seen reclining on the steps in the role of the cynic Diogenes. At the centre is his uncle, Joseph Leeson, the future Earl of Milltown, who holds up an eyeglass in the role of Plato. James Lowther and his son are depicted behind him leading a musical trio. on the left is Viscount Charlemont.

Young woman in white reading (1873) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). In this work Renoir depicts a fashionably dressed woman reading a novel. Renoir's loose brushwork demonstrates his close association with Monet at the time, while the monochrome tones relate to his interest in the work of Manet and the Spanish Golden Age artists.

The Gleaners (1854) by Jules Adolphe Aimé Louis Breton (1827-1906). Known for his scenes of contemporary rural life this Realist painter's composition depicts the traditional custom of gleaning, whereby women and children were allowed to collect the remnants of the wheat harvest. The artist's future wife, Elodie, is said to have have been the model for the standing figure at the right foreground of the composition.

Stella in a flowered hat (c. 1907) by Kees van Dongen (1897-1968). Known for his paintings of the Parisian nightlife Van Dongen most likely painted her one of the women on the fringes of polite society who frequented the Cafes and Bars of Montmartre.

 

 

Lady on the terrace (1898) by Paul Signac (1863-1935). Having decided to become a painter following an exhibition of Claude Manet's work in 1880, Signac along with Seurat developed a style of painting that came to be known as Pointillism. Signac's wife is said to have modelled for this scene, which is set on the terrace of the artist's villa in Saint Tropez.

The Banks of the Canal du Loing at Saint-Mammés (1888) by Alfred Sisley (1839-1899). As is typical of Sisley's late works a broad expanse of sky seems to dominate the composition. In order to convey atmospheric effect he applied paint to the canvas with small brush strokes of varying texture and intensity.

Brother and Sister (modeled in 1890 and cast in 1915) by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917).

(to be continued)

 

The 6 day trip to Ireland - Dublin (Day 2 - morning still) - Trinity College Museum Building - The 11th of June 2014

(...)

We headed towards the Trinity College ensemble, more precisely to the Museum building under the direction of a local citizen, who having seen us looking at a city map just minutes before offered his services as a guide, letting us know that he didn't do it for money but just for the need to keep busy since he had retired.

The Museum building dated 1857, which has been home to the University of Geology and Geography Departments pertaining to the Trinity College stood out due to its Byzantine inspired architecture and the Lombard-Romanesque details. Both external and internal carvings are said to have been carried out by the O'Shea brothers and one has to agree that they excel in quality.  

 

Irish marbles and Cornish serpentine were the materials used in the inner courtyard pillars, balustrades and bannisters. The entrance hall was particularly beautiful  because of the arching dome constructed from blue, red and yellow enamelled bricks and although the lighting was not the ideal for  photographs I feel privileged to have had a "guide" who turned out last minute photographer just for us.

He insisted on us being taken in photo with the skeleton of the iconic Pleistocene Mammal, known as the giant Irish deer and we acted accordingly.

We might have missed this building altogether had we not been with Gerald Scallan, whom we took one last photo with before leaving the premises, as having access to the Book of Kells in the Trinity College Library would certainly take a few hours, considering the queue.

The "ghosts" of the former College students Wilde, Becket and Stocker are said to be felt wandering around the gardens and though we were open to meeting just any of them we seem not to have been so lucky that time, for the only "presence" we felt was the one of the guardian angels of the Campanile.

We ended up making our way into College Green prior to having walked along Dame street so as to reach the National Gallery where we intended to spend part of the afternoon. Once more the colourful pubs and art  in its various forms caught my attention  and the more I looked around the more I felt Dublin could also be a city of "details".