Public Tour: Women Artists

For centuries, there was an overwhelming lack of training, education and resources for women in the arts. Many who were able to receive training and establish careers were often the daughters of painters, members of religious orders, or from privileged backgrounds. The result of such class and gender biases was that, historically, relatively few women were able to achieve measurable success or recognition as artists. It is worth considering how women were not only less visible than their male counterparts, but also how their traditional exclusion from the art-historical canon is reflected in the formation of collections worldwide. Today, the Gallery is committed to actively seeking works by women artists to add to the national collection. This tour features selected works by women artists in the Gallery’s permanent collection, from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, to highlight the importance of women’s contributions to art history.

• Meet your tour guide in our Courtyard, near the Merrion Square information desk.
• Read our Visitor Guide for details of what to expect on your visit to the Gallery.
• This tour is accessible to people who are hard of hearing and use a tour guide system with T-loop capabilities.