Irish stained glass designs by An Túr Gloine artists on display at the National Gallery of Ireland

First exhibition dedicated to An Túr Gloine at the National Gallery of Ireland 

Artists featured in the exhibition include Wilhelmina Geddes, Catherine O’Brien, Evie Hone, Michael Healy

 

Featuring some of Ireland’s finest stained glass artists of the twentieth century, An Túr Gloine: Artists and the Collective opens at the National Gallery of Ireland on 30 March 2024. This is the first exhibition solely dedicated to the pioneering stained glass studio An Túr Gloine (The Tower of Glass) presented by the Gallery. The exhibition brings together a rich selection of archival material, watercolour sketch designs and stained glass. It also explores An Túr Gloine’s cooperative practice, which was vital for supporting artists – particularly women artists – to access a career in stained glass.

 

An Túr Gloine was a stained glass studio and collective founded in 1903 by portrait painter Sarah Purser with the help of Irish cultural activist Edward Martyn and English stained glass artist A.E. Child. Inspired by early-Irish metalwork and illumination, An Túr Gloine produced artworks imbued with the contemporary spirit of romantic nationalism and Irish cultural revivalism. 
 

Artists at An Túr Gloine were encouraged to take responsibility for every stage in the design and creation of a stained glass window. A rich variety and individuality therefore emerged in the artworks, as members had the opportunity to develop their own personal and distinctive style in the medium. An Túr Gloine’s collective model, together with the skills and creativity of its imaginative members, set the studio apart from rivals in Ireland and abroad, with stained glass emerging as the foremost achievement of the Irish Arts and Crafts movement.

 

Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, commented: “The National Gallery of Ireland is delighted to present this exhibition which marks the significant contributions of Irish artists to the development of stained glass practice. With windows designed by the artists of the An Túr Gloine collective to be found across Ireland, their skill and influence cannot be overstated, and we are thrilled to be opening the first ever exhibition dedicated to these artists at the Gallery.”

 

Andrea Lydon, Head of Library and Archives at the National Gallery of Ireland, commented: “The Centre for the Study of Irish Art, in the National Gallery, holds a number of collections relating to Ireland’s rich heritage in stained glass. We are excited to present this exhibition, inspired by the An Túr Gloine Archive, which documents the important contribution this innovative stained glass studio made to Irish art and celebrates the creativity, unique design skills and exceptional craftsmanship of the An Túr Gloine Artists.”

 

Marie Lynch, Exhibition Curator and ESB CSIA Fellow, commented: “An Túr Gloine was truly international in scope, producing innovative stained glass designs for churches, schools, exhibitions and private collectors around the globe, including New Zealand, Singapore, Turkey, India, Canada and the United States of America. This exhibition tells the story of the creative and business decisions behind these beautiful and unique Irish stained glass windows that are located throughout Ireland and further afield.”

 

Highlights of the exhibition include Michael Healy’s St Patrick Lighting the Paschal Fire, a delicately drawn preparatory design for a stained glass panel. The detailing and iridescent colours of the watercolour reveal the artist’s intentions to use flashed glass to create sparkling, jewel-like surface effects in the final stained glass piece. Belfast artist Wilhelmina Geddes’ St Brendan demonstrates her strongly graphic approach to stained glass, with the robust figure scarcely being contained within the dynamic lines of the composition. By contrast, Catherine O’Brien’s St Patrick evokes an intimate, folk-art quality that hints at her deep personal faith. The extraordinary variety and individuality of An Túr Gloine’s designs is illustrated throughout the exhibition with a range of further examples of by A. E. Child, Hubert McGoldrick, Ethel Rhind and Evie Hone.

 

Find out more at www.nationalgallery.ie. 

 

ENDS

 

Media contacts:

Victoria Sharpe, Communications Coordinator, National Gallery of Ireland, [email protected]. 

 

Notes to Editor:

• Images are available on request.
• Exhibition curator Marie Lynch is available for interview.

Exhibition listing:

An Túr Gloine: Artists and the Collective,

30 March 2024 – 12 January 2025,

Room 11, National Gallery of Ireland.

In order to protect our works on paper, this exhibition will feature three specially curated rotations from the Gallery collections.
 Free admission.

Curator: Marie Lynch, ESB CSIA Fellow, Centre for the Study of Irish Art.

 

About the National Gallery of Ireland:

The National Gallery of Ireland is one of the country’s most popular visitor attractions, housing the nation’s collection of European and Irish art from about 1300 to the present day, and an extensive Library & Archive. Entry to the collection is free for all to enjoy, learn and be inspired.

 

2024 at the National Gallery of Ireland:

2024 is the 170th anniversary of the establishment of the Gallery through the National Gallery of Ireland Act (1854) and the 160th anniversary of the opening of the National Gallery of Ireland on the 30 January 1864. The Gallery will also publish a new strategic plan for the period 2024-28 in early 2024.

 

Library & Archives at the National Gallery of Ireland

The Library & Archives at the National Gallery of Ireland are responsible for the care, development and presentation of the world-renowned resources housed in the Gallery, including the Yeats Archive, the Centre for the Study of Irish Art and the Sir Denis Mahon Library and Archive. These collections, as well as an array of online resources, are available for consultation in The Reading Rooms of the National Gallery of Ireland and the Centre for the Study of Irish Art. Tours of the collections are available by request. Contact: [email protected].

 

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Dearaí gloine dhaite Éireannacha le healaíontóirí An Túr Gloine ar taispeáint i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann

An chéad taispeántas tiomnaithe do An Túr Gloine ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann 

I measc na n-ealaíontóirí atá le feiceáil sa taispeántas tá Wilhelmina Geddes, Catherine O’Brien, Evie Hone, Michael Healy

 

Osclófar An Túr Gloine: Ealaíontóirí agus an Comharghrúpa i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann an 30 Márta 2024 agus léireofar cuid de na healaíontóirí gloine dhaite is fearr in Éirinn san fhichiú haois. Is é seo an chéad taispeántas atá tiomnaithe go heisiach don stiúideo gloine dhaite ceannródaíoch An Túr Gloine arna chur i láthair ag an nGailearaí. Tugann an taispeántas le chéile rogha shaibhir d'ábhar cartlainne, dearaí sceitse uiscedhatha agus gloine dhaite. Scrúdaíonn sé freisin cleachtas comhoibritheach An Túr Gloine, a bhí ríthábhachtach chun tacú le healaíontóirí – go háirithe le healaíontóirí ban – teacht ar ghairm i ngloine dhaite.

Ba stiúideo gloine dhaite agus comhghrúpa é An Túr Gloine a bhunaigh an péintéir portráide Sarah Purser i 1903 le cabhair ón ngníomhaí cultúrtha Éireannach Edward Martyn agus ón ealaíontóir gloine dhaite Sasanach A.E. Child. Arna spreagadh ag miotalóireacht agus soilsiú luath-Éireannach, tháirg An Túr Gloine saothair ealaíne a bhí lán le spiorad comhaimseartha an náisiúnachais rómánsaigh agus na hathbheochana cultúrtha in Éirinn. 

Tugadh spreagadh d'ealaíontóirí An Túr Gloine freagracht a ghlacadh as gach céim i ndearadh agus i gcruthú fuinneog gloine dhaite. Tháinig éagsúlacht agus indibhidiúlacht shaibhir chun cinn sna saothair ealaíne dá bhrí sin, mar go raibh deis ag na baill a stíl phearsanta agus shainiúil féin a fhorbairt sa mheán. Ba léir ó mhúnla comhchoiteann An Túr Gloine, mar aon le scileanna agus cruthaitheacht a chuid ball samhlaíoch, go raibh an stiúideo difriúil óna iomaitheoirí in Éirinn agus thar lear, le gloine dhaite ag teacht chun cinn mar an t-éacht is mó a bhain gluaiseacht Ealaíon agus Ceardaíochta na hÉireann amach.

 

Dúirt an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: “Tá ríméad ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann an taispeántas seo a chur i láthair a léiríonn an méid a chuireann ealaíontóirí na hÉireann le forbairt chleachtas gloine dhaite. Le fuinneoga deartha ag ealaíontóirí An Túr Gloine atá le fáil ar fud na hÉirinn, ní féidir a scil agus a dtionchar a mholadh a dhóthain, agus tá ríméad orainn an chéad taispeántas riamh atá tiomnaithe do na healaíontóirí sin a oscailt ag an nGailearaí.”

 

Dúirt Andrea Lydon, Ceann Leabharlainne agus Cartlainne i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann:

“Tá roinnt bailiúchán ag Lárionad um Staidéar Ealaíne na hÉireann, sa Ghailearaí Náisiúnta, a bhaineann le hoidhreacht shaibhir na hÉireann i ngloine dhaite. Táimid ar bís an taispeántas seo, arna spreagadh ag cartlann An Túr Gloine, a chur i láthair ina ndéantar doiciméadú ar an méid a rinne an stiúideo gloine dhaite nuálach seo maidir le healaín na hÉireann agus ina ndéantar ceiliúradh ar chruthaitheacht, ar scileanna dearaidh uathúla agus ar cheardaíocht eisceachtúil ealaíontóirí An Túr Gloine.”

 

Dúirt Marie Lynch, Coimeádaí Taispeántais agus Comhalta CSIA ESB: “Bhí gné idirnáisiúnta ag baint leis An Túr Gloine ó thaobh scóip de, ag táirgeadh dearaí gloine dhaite nuálacha d'eaglaisí, do scoileanna, do thaispeántais agus do bhailitheoirí príobháideacha ar fud na cruinne, lena n-áirítear an Nua-Shéalainn, Singeapór, an Tuirc, an India, Ceanada agus Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá. Insíonn an taispeántas seo scéal na gcinntí cruthaitheacha agus gnó taobh thiar de na fuinneoga gloine dhaite áille uathúla Éireannacha seo atá lonnaithe ar fud na hÉireann agus níos faide i gcéin.”

 

I measc bhuaicphointí an taispeántais tá St Patrick Lighting the Paschal Fire, dearadh ullmhúcháin a tarraingíodh go cúramach do phainéal gloine dhaite. Nochtann dathanna mionsonraithe agus dathlonracha an uiscedhatha rún an ealaíontóra gloine stríce a úsáid chun éifeachtaí dromchla lonrach, cosúil le seod, a chruthú sa phíosa gloine dhaite deiridh. Léiríonn St Brendan, leis an ealaíontóir Wilhelmina Geddes as Béal Feirste, an cur chuige láidir grafach atá aici maidir le gloine dhaite, agus an figiúr láidir ar éigean coinnithe laistigh de línte dinimiciúla an tsaothair. I gcodarsnacht leis sin, léiríonn St Patrick le Caitríona Uí Bhriain caighdeán pearsanta, d'ealaín na ndaoine, rud a thugann a creideamh domhain pearsanta le tuiscint. Léirítear éagsúlacht agus indibhidiúlacht neamhghnách dhearaí An Túr Gloine ar fud an taispeántais le réimse samplaí breise de chuid A. E. Child, Hubert McGoldrick, Ethel Rhind agus Evie Hone.

 

Tuilleadh eolais ag www.nationalgallery.ie 

 

CRÍOCH

 

Teagmhálaithe meán:

Victoria Sharpe, Comhordaitheoir Cumarsáide, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: [email protected] 

 

Nótaí chuig an Eagarthóir:

• Tá íomhánna ar fáil ach iad a iarraidh.
• Tá coimeádaí an taispeántais Marie Lynch ar fáil le haghaidh agallaimh.

Liostú taispeántais:

An Túr Gloine: Ealaíontóirí agus an Comharghrúpa,

An 30 Márta 2024 – An 12 Eanáir 2025,

Seomra 11, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann.

D'fhonn ár saothair ar pháipéar a chosaint, beidh trí rothlú speisialta sa taispeántas seo ó bhailiúcháin an Ghailearaí.

Cead isteach saor in aisce.

Coimeádaí: Marie Lynch, Comhalta CSIA ESB, Lárionad um Staidéar Ealaíne na hÉireann.

 

Maidir le Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann:

Tá Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann ar cheann de na taitneamhachtaí is mó tóir do chuairteoirí sa tír ina bhfuil bailiúchán an náisiúin d'ealaín na hEorpa agus na hÉireann ó thart ar 1300 go dtí an lá atá inniu ann, chomh maith le Leabharlann & Cartlann fhairsing. Tá cead isteach chuig an mbailiúchán saor in aisce do chách le taitneamh a bhaint as, foghlaim uaidh agus spreagadh a fháil uaidh.

 

2024 ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann:

In 2024 beidh sé 170 bliain ó bunaíodh an Gailearaí tríd an National Gallery of Ireland Act (1854) agus 160 bliain ó osclaíodh Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann an 30 Eanáir 1864. Foilseoidh an Gailearaí plean straitéiseach nua don tréimhse 2024-28 go luath in 2024 freisin.

 

Leabharlann & Cartlann i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann

Tá an Leabharlann & an Chartlann i nGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann freagrach as cúram, forbairt agus cur i láthair na n-acmhainní a bhfuil cáil dhomhanda orthu atá lonnaithe sa Ghailearaí, lena n-áirítear Cartlann Yeats, Lárionad um Staidéar Ealaíne na hÉireann agus Leabharlann agus Cartlann Sir Denis Mahon. Tá na bailiúcháin seo, chomh maith le réimse acmhainní ar líne, ar fáil le haghaidh comhairliúcháin i Seomraí Léitheoireachta Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann agus Lárionad um Staidéar Ealaíne na hÉireann. Tá turais de na bailiúcháin ar fáil ach iad a iarraidh. Déan teagmháil le: [email protected].

 

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