Hy Brasil
Artist
Patrick Collins
(1911 - 1994)
Date1963
MediumOil on board
Dimensions76.2 x 91.5 cm
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineCollection & image © Hugh Lane Gallery.
Donated by the Contemporary Irish Art Society, 1963.
© The Estate of Patrick Collins.
Object number1210
DescriptionIn Irish mythology 'Hy Brazil' was a mythical island out in the Atlantic off the west of Ireland. It was a magical realm - neither sea nor land, yet both. According to legend, it was visible every seven years and was known as the Isle of the Living, the Isle of Truth, of Joy, of Fair Women, and of Apples. Other early Celtic legends also say that the island only appeared at sunset in the mists of the Atlantic. In this painting, Collins captures the romantic essence of this mythical island. Using a frame within a frame effect, he provides a tantalising glimpse of a narrow band of rock indicated by thickly applied pigment, which seemingly floats in a delicate blue-grey mist in the distance. Collins spent his early years in the west of Ireland and had a deep and long-lasting affinity for the Irish landscape. He cited Paul Henry as one of the main influences on his career. Irish literature was also an inspiration in particular the works of W. B. Yeats, J M Synge and James Joyce.
Collins had very little formal art education and worked in the insurance business for over twenty years before devoting himself completely to art. (MC)
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