A new display at the National Gallery of Ireland presents the art of one of Ireland’s first professional women artists.

The National Gallery of Ireland is delighted to announce the opening of Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature, a new display running from 14 September 2024 until 5 January 2025. This ‘in-focus’ display, part of the Gallery’s broader effort to re-contextualise and celebrate the contributions of Irish women artists, offers a unique opportunity to rediscover the work of Mildred Anne Butler (1858–1941), one of Ireland’s first professional women artists. It showcases 16 watercolours, drawn from public and private collections across the island of Ireland, along with a selection of archival material, on loan from Trinity College Dublin, which provide further insights into her life as a working artist.

Mildred Anne Butler was born and raised at Kilmurry, a grand mid-18th-century manor house near Thomastown, County Kilkenny. The 350-acre estate provided her with an endless source of inspiration, and a wealth of exquisite colour to paint. Her work captures the essence of her immediate environs with both striking accuracy and a sense of fresh immediacy. 

Butler is best known for her sumptuous garden scenes, as well as her detailed depictions of animals and birds, which she cleverly imbued with subtleties of character. She made sketches out doors and kept a collection of stuffed birds that she drew from, serving as a valuable aid to her work. Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature features some of the artist’s finest works, including A Preliminary Investigation (1898), Shades of Evening (1904), and The Lilac Phlox, Kilmurry, County Kilkenny (1912). Her passion for wildlife is beautifully represented in her large-scale rook paintings, including The High Court of Justice (Exhibited RA, 1892), The Valiant Three (1893), and Green-Eyed Jealousy (1894). Additionally, watercolours like A Sheltered Corner (1891), Forty Winks (1899), and Under the Hawthorn Tree (1905), highlight her ability to depict cattle, another one of her favourite subjects.  

The display, curated by Niamh MacNally, celebrates Butler’s significant contribution to Irish art and her pioneering role as a women artist. It features works from the Gallery’s own collection alongside key loans from public and private collections including the Ulster Museum, the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts in Belfast, and the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny.

Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said: "Mildred Anne Butler’s work exemplifies her extraordinary technical skill as a watercolourist, and her pioneering spirit as one of Ireland’s first professional female artists. This exhibition honours Butler’s exceptional talent, and her remarkable ability to capture the essence of her surroundings."

Niamh MacNally, Curator of the Prints & Drawings Study Room at the Gallery, notes: "This display reaffirms Mildred Anne Butler’s position as an important figure in the history of Irish Art. Her great talent and artistic vision is celebrated through the various anthropomorphic pictures on show, whose witty titles reflect her playful sensibility. The works not only reveal her virtuoso handling of the watercolour medium, but highlight how she seamlessly translated onto paper all the delicate nuances of sunlight and shadow that she experienced at first hand in nature."

This exhibition is kindly supported by Brian Baum in loving memory of Úna Wilson. The Gallery would also like to thank the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for its ongoing support. Find out more about the Gallery at www.nationalgallery.ie. 

ENDS

Media Contacts:

• Fiona Sexton, Communications, Marketing & Digital Engagement Manager, National Gallery of Ireland, [email protected]

 Notes to Editor:

• Images available on request.
• Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, and exhibition curator Niamh MacNally are available for interview 

Exhibition Listing:

Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature
Sir Hugh Lane Room, National Gallery of Ireland: 14 September 2024 to 05 January 2025 
Free admission 
Curator: Niamh MacNally, Curator, Prints & Drawings Study Room

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 published a new strategic plan for the period 2024-28 in August 2024.

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Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann

Cuireann taispeántas nua ag Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann ealaín duine de na chéad ealaíontóirí ban gairmiúla in Éirinn i láthair.

Tá ríméad ar Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann oscailt Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature, taispeántas nua a bheidh ar siúl ón 14 Meán Fómhair 2024 go dtí an 5 Eanáir 2025. a fhógairt. Tugann an taispeántas ‘i bhfócas' seo, cuid d'iarracht níos leithne an Ghailearaí chun an méid a dhéanann ealaíontóirí ban na hÉireann a ath-chomhthéacsú agus a cheiliúradh, deis uathúil saothar Mildred Anne Butler (1858-1941), duine de na chéad ealaíontóirí gairmiúla ban in Éirinn, a athaimsiú. Léiríonn sé 16 n-uiscedhath, ó bhailiúcháin phoiblí agus phríobháideacha ar fud oileán na hÉireann, mar aon le rogha ábhar cartlainne, ar iasacht ó Choláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath, a thugann léargas breise ar a saol mar ealaíontóir oibre.

Rugadh agus tógadh Mildred Anne Butler i gCill Mhuire, mainéar mór ó lár an 18ú haois gar do Bhaile Mhic Andáin, Contae Chill Chainnigh. Thug an t-eastát 350 acra foinse inspioráide gan teorainn di, agus saibhreas dathanna fíorálainn le péinteáil. Léiríonn a saothar bunbhrí a gharthimpeallachta le cruinneas iontach agus le braistint de láithreacht úr. 

Is fearr aithne ar Butler as a radharcanna galánta sa ghairdín, chomh maith lena léirithe mionsonraithe d’ainmhithe agus d’éin, a chuir sí go cliste le caolchúiseanna na gcarachtar. Rinne sí sceitsí amuigh faoin aer agus choinnigh sí cnuasach d’éin líonta as a tharraing sí, a bhí mar áis luachmhar dá cuid oibre. Léiríonn Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature cuid de shaothair is fearr an ealaíontóra, lena n-áirítear A Preliminary Investigation (1898), Shades of Evening (1904), agus The Lilac Phlox, Cill Mhuire, Contae Chill Chainnigh (1912). Léirítear a paisean don fhiadhúlra go hálainn ina pictiúirí móra de phréacháin dhubha, lena n-áirítear The High Court of Justice (Taispéanta ag an Acadamh Ríoga, 1892), The Valiant Three (1893), agus Green-Eyed Jealousy (1894). Ina theannta sin, cuireann uiscedhathanna ar nós A Sheltered Corner (1891), Forty Winks (1899), agus Under the Hawthorn Tree (1905), béim ar a cumas eallach a léiriú, ceann eile de na hábhair is fearr léi.  

Déanann an taispeántas, atá á choimeád ag Niamh MacNally, ceiliúradh ar an méid a chuir Butler go mór le healaín na hÉireann agus a ról ceannródaíoch mar ealaíontóir ban. Tá saothair ann ó bhailiúchán an Ghailearaí féin in éineacht le hiasachtaí tábhachtacha ó bhailiúcháin phoiblí agus phríobháideacha lena n-áirítear Iarsmalann Uladh, Acadamh Ríoga Ealaíon Uladh i mBéal Feirste, agus Dánlann Butler i gCill Chainnigh.

Dúirt an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: "Léiríonn saothar Mildred Anne Butler a scil theicniúil neamhghnách mar uiscedhathadóir, agus a spiorad ceannródaíoch mar dhuine de na chéad bhan-ealaíontóirí gairmiúla in Éirinn. Tugann an taispeántas seo onóir do thallann eisceachtúil Butler, agus dá cumas iontach éirim a timpeallachta a ghabháil ."

Deir Niamh MacNally, Coimeádaí an tSeomra Staidéir Priontaí & Líníochtaí sa Ghailearaí: “Athdhearbhaíonn an taispeáint seo seasamh Mildred Anne Butler mar dhuine tábhachtach i stair na hEalaíne in Éirinn. Déantar a tallann iontach agus a fís ealaíonta a cheiliúradh trí na pictiúir antrapamorfacha éagsúla atá ar taispeáint, agus léiríonn a teidil ghreannmhara a híogaireacht spraíúil. Ní hamháin go léiríonn na saothair an láimhseáil cháiliúil a rinne sí ar an meán uiscedhatha, ach léiríonn siad an chaoi a d’aistrigh sí go réidh ar pháipéar na miondifríochtaí íogaire uile de sholas na gréine agus de scáth, a raibh taithí phearsanta aici sa dúlra."

Tacaíonn Brian Baum go cineálta leis an taispeántas seo i gcuimhne grámhar ar Úna Wilson. Ba mhaith leis an nGailearaí buíochas a ghabháil freisin leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán as a tacaíocht leanúnach. Faigh tuilleadh eolais faoin nGailearaí ag www.nationalgallery.ie. 

CRÍOCH

Teagmhálaithe Meán:

• Fiona Sexton, Bainisteoir Cumarsáide, Margaíochta & Rannpháirtíochta Digiteach, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, [email protected]

Nótaí chuig an Eagarthóir:

• Íomhánna ar fáil.
• Tá an Dr Caroline Campbell, Stiúrthóir Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann, agus coimeádaí an taispeántais Niamh MacNally ar fáil le haghaidh agallaimh 

Liosta Taispeántais:

Mildred Anne Butler: At Home in Nature
Seomra Sir Hugh Lane, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann: 14 Meán Fómhair 2024 go 05 Eanáir 2025 
Cead isteach saor in aisce 
Coimeádaí: Niamh MacNally, Coimeádaí, Seomra Staidéir Priontaí & Líníochtaí

Maidir le Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann:

Tá Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann ar cheann de na nithe is díol spéise do chuairteoirí sa tír ina bhfuil bailiúchán an náisiúin d’ealaín na hEorpa agus na hÉireann ó thart ar 1300 go dtí an lá inniu, agus Leabharlann agus Cartlann fhairsing ann. 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:

Is é 2024 comóradh 170 bliain ó bunaíodh an Dánlann tríd an Acht um Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann (1854) agus comóradh 160 bliain ó osclaíodh Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann ar an 30 Eanáir 1864. D’fhoilsigh an Gailearaí plean straitéiseach nua don tréimhse 2024-28 i mí Lúnasa 2024.

Lean an Gailearaí:

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