Detail from the cover of 'The Irish Impressionists: Irish artists in France and Belgium 1850-1914' by Julian Campbell, National Gallery of Ireland, 1984. CSIA 708.15DUB/NGI
Researching William John Leech (1881-1968) at the National Gallery of Ireland
An important monograph on Leech held in the library of the National Gallery of Ireland is ‘William John Leech: an Irish painter abroad’ by Denise Ferran (1996), which is the primary biography of the artist and his career, with a detailed discussion of ‘A Convent Garden, Brittany’. Ferran has also written several important articles, for example ‘W. J. Leech’s Brittany’ (Irish Arts Review Yearbook, 1993).
The artist also features prominently in the National Gallery of Ireland’s exhibition catalogue ‘The Irish Impressionists: Irish artists in France and Belgium, 1850-1914’ by Julian Campbell (1984), providing an extensive discussion on the artist and his circle of fellow Irish impressionist painters working in France in the 1900s, along with a useful catalogue entry on ‘A Convent Garden, Brittany’. An essay on this painting is also authored by Campbell in the National Gallery of Ireland series of essays, ‘Art is my life: a tribute to James White’ (1991).
Archival material and an artist folder are also available. The artist folder holds a variety of ephemera relating to William Leech's artwork and career.
Suggested Bibliography
Campbell, Julian. (1984). The Irish Impressionists: Irish artists in France and Belgium 1850 - 1914. National Gallery of Ireland
CSIA 708.15DUB/NGI
Dawson Gallery, Dublin. (1953). Frances Kelly, William Leech, Evie Hone. Dublin: Dawson Gallery
CSIA 709.415074
Ferran, Denise. (1996). William John Leech: an Irish painter abroad. Dublin: National Gallery of Ireland; London: Merrell Holberton
CSIA 709.415LEE
Ferran, Denise. (1993). 'W. J. Leech’s Brittany'. Irish Arts Review Yearbook, Vol. 9, pp.224-232
Ferran, Denise. (1992). Lives of Irish artists: William Leech 1881-1968. Dublin: Town House for the National Gallery of Ireland
CSIA 709.415LEE
Kennedy, Brian P. (1991). Art is my life: a tribute to James White. Dublin: National Gallery of Ireland
CSIA 709.415
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