Muriel Brandt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Muriel Brandt
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Muriel Brandt in 1976
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| Born | 16 January 1909 Belfast, Ireland
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| Died | 10 June 1981 (aged 72) Dublin, Ireland
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Belfast College of Art, Royal College of Art in London |
| Known for | Painting |
Muriel Brandt (born January 16, 1909 – died June 10, 1981) was a talented Irish artist. She was especially famous for painting portraits of people and creating large wall paintings called murals.
Contents
Muriel Brandt's Early Life
Muriel Brandt was born Muriel McKinley in Belfast, Ireland, on January 16, 1909. Her parents were Florence Ann and Hugh McKinley. Her father worked for the post office.
Muriel loved art from a young age. She studied at the Belfast College of Art from 1932 to 1933. Later, she won a special scholarship called the Sorelba scholarship in 1934. This allowed her to study mural painting at the Royal College of Art in London.
In 1935, she married Frank Brandt, who was a freelance designer. They had three children together. One of their daughters, Ruth Brandt, also became a well-known artist. The family later moved back to Ireland and lived in Sutton, Dublin. Muriel was also a very keen gardener. Her friend, artist James Nolan, remembered her strong passion for both art and protecting the environment.
Her Amazing Art Career
Muriel Brandt became an Associate of the Royal College of Art (ARCA) in 1937. A year later, in 1938, she started showing her paintings at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). Over her career, she exhibited an impressive 145 paintings there!
Famous Works and Commissions
Muriel was especially good at painting children's portraits. Many of her most famous works are studies of her own family and other children.
She was asked to create murals for several churches and religious buildings. These included:
- St Anthony's shrine in the Franciscan church of Adam and Eve in Dublin (1938–40)
- The Franciscan friary in Rossnowlagh, County Donegal (1954)
- The Franciscan friary in Athlone (1975)
In the Athlone mural, Muriel even painted a small picture of herself! This was a fun way to follow an old tradition from medieval times. She also created the "Stations of the Cross" for churches in Sacramento, California, and Leeds, England. She even painted a work called Seven Signatories for a pub in Ballymun.
Stamps and Exhibitions
In 1949, Muriel Brandt was chosen to design a special postage stamp. This stamp celebrated the world recognizing the new Irish Republic.
She also exhibited her art at the Oireachtas in 1953. In 1967, her painting Carrick Fergus won the gold Douglas Hyde medal at the Oireachtas.
In 1965, the National Gallery of Ireland (NGI) showed her drawing of W. B. Yeats' home, Thoor Ballylee. This was part of an exhibition celebrating 100 years since Yeats' birth.
Recognition and Portraits
Muriel became an Associate of the RHA in 1948 and a full member in 1961. She was asked to paint portraits of many important people in Dublin. These included Sir Alfred Chester Beatty and George O'Brien.
One of her most well-known paintings is a group portrait that hangs in the lobby of the Gate Theatre in Dublin. It shows famous theatre figures like Christine Longford, Hilton Edwards, and Micheál Mac Liammóir.
Muriel also drew pictures for magazines like Dublin Opinion and Ireland of the Welcomes. She also illustrated a book called Leinster by Terence de Vere White in 1968. She was a member of the United Arts Club in Dublin and helped manage both the RHA and the NGI.
Her Later Life and Legacy
Muriel Brandt passed away in Dublin on June 10, 1981. She is buried in St Fintan's Cemetery in Sutton.
Her beautiful artworks are kept in many important places. These include the Art Gallery Society in Kilkenny, the Crawford Municipal Gallery in Cork, the Garter Lane arts centre in Waterford, and the NGI. The The National Self-Portrait Collection of Ireland in Limerick also has a self-portrait she painted in 1954.
See also
In Spanish: Muriel Brandt para niños
