Lord MacDonnell, G.C.S.I.

Artist Sir William Orpen (1878 - 1931)

Date1904

MediumOil on canvas

Dimensions74.9 x 62.2 cm

ClassificationsPaintings

Credit LineCollection & image © Hugh Lane Gallery. Lane Gift, 1912.

Object number43

DescriptionThis is a half-length portrait of a man, Lord MacDonnell, sitting against a dark background. He is wearing a first class civil servant's court uniform with a light blue sash and his order. He stares intently at the viewer, clasping the arms of a chair, his walrus type moustache and eyebrows bristling with intent.

In 1901 Hugh Lane became fired with the idea of creating a modern art gallery in Dublin and he commissioned John Butler Yeats to paint a series of portraits of distinguished Irishmen and later Sir William Orpen continued the task adding portraits including this one. All of Orpen's portraits commissioned by Lane were presented to the Gallery.

Interestingly John Butler Yeats has also portrayed Lord MacDonnell (see Object Number 53).

On View

Not on view