Detail from Mildred Anne Butler, Shades of Evening, 1904.
Detail from Mildred Anne Butler, Shades of Evening, 1904. Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

Shades of Evening by Mildred Anne Butler (1858-1941)

Year
1904
Size
97.5 x 65 cm
Medium
Watercolour on paper
Provenance
Purchased, 1981
Number
NGI.7953

Mildred Anne Butler is best known for her depictions of nature and wildlife, which often feature detailed botanical studies and portrayals of animals drawn from photography and taxidermy. She contributed regularly to the Water Colour Society of Ireland's exhibitions between 1892 and 1938. A review in The Athenaeum (1897) noted that her 'pictures command attention by the massing and breadth of their chiaroscuro'. Butler drew inspiration from the tranquil countryside around her home at Kilmurry, Co. Kilkenny. This atmospheric scene is typical of her style.