Irish art

The early history of Irish visual art is generally considered to begin with early carvings found at sites such as Newgrange and is traced through Bronze Age artefacts, particularly ornamental gold objects, and the religious carvings and illuminated manuscripts of the medieval period. During the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, a strong indigenous tradition of painting emerged, including such figures as John Butler Yeats, William Orpen and Jack Yeats.

Ireland's best known living artists include Louis le Brocquy, a figurative painter and print maker, Sean Scully an abstract expressionist who lives and works in New York, Dorothy Cross, a sculptor and filmmaker and James Coleman, an installation and video artist.

Interest in collecting Irish art has expanded rapidly with the economic expansion of the country, primarily focussing on investment in early twentieth century painters. Support for young Irish artists is still relatively minor compared to their European counterparts, as the Arts Council's focus has been on improving infrastructure and professionalism in venues. That said, Ireland's unique tax break for creative artists (writers, visual artists and composers) has encouraged a wide community of artists to remain in Ireland.

Early Irish art

File:Tara brooch.jpg

The Tara Brooch, 700 A.D.

Celtic art

Main article: Celtic art

In Ireland an unbroken Celtic heritage existed from before and through the Roman period in Britain, which had never reached the island, and thus the 5th to 7th centuries were mainly a continuation of the late Iron Age La Tène traditions, with only some minor Roman influences. In the 7th and 8th centuries Irish art mixed with Germanic traditions through Irish missionary contacts with the Anglo-Saxons, creating what is called the Hiberno-Saxon style and such masterpieces as the Book of Kells, the Ardagh Chalice and the Tara Brooch. Later in the period Scandinavian influences were added through the Vikings, then original Celtic work came to an end with the Norman invasion in 1169-1170 and subsequent introduction of Romanesque art.

British art

Towards an Irish art

The Irish Impressionists

The Irish Landscape

Paul Henry

The Academy

Jack Yeats

Jack Yeats

Social Realism

Sean Keating

The Stainglass movement

Modern art

Modernism

Abstact Expressionism

The Northern Artists

Politics

Public Art

Contemporary Art

External links

The Irish Arts Council
The National Irish Visual Arts Library
www.irishabroad.com A series of essays on Irish art.

References

Bruce Arnold (1977) Irish art, a concise history London: Thames and Hudson, ISBN 050020148X