Oriel Gallery facts for kids
| Gailearaí Airgialla | |
The gallery in 2024
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| Established | 1968 |
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| Location | 17 Clare Street, Dublin, Ireland |
| Type | Contemporary art gallery |
| Founder | Oliver Nulty |
| Public transit access |  Dublin Pearse Dawson Street (Green Line) |
The Oriel Gallery is a special art gallery in Dublin, Ireland. It shows and sells art made by Irish artists. It's known as Ireland's oldest independent art gallery. This means it has been around longer than any other private gallery in the country.
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History of the Oriel Gallery
The Oriel Gallery was started in Dublin in 1968 by a man named Oliver Nulty. The name "Oriel" comes from the old medieval Kingdom of Oriel. This kingdom included Drogheda, which was Oliver Nulty's hometown. The word "Oriel" can also mean a type of window or "gallery" in the Welsh language.
Oliver Nulty's Vision
Oliver Nulty began his career as someone who bought and sold old items, like furniture and decorations. While doing this, he noticed that Irish art wasn't getting much attention. He felt that Irish visual art was "neglected." He spent many years collecting art before he decided to open his own gallery.
Nulty believed that while Dublin was famous for its writers, art was more popular in Belfast. He also said that Irish visual art in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s was like "the Cinderella of Irish culture." This means it was often overlooked and not given the importance it deserved.
Showcasing Irish Art
Oliver Nulty saw a chance to make a difference. He started to show and sell beautiful pieces of Irish art through his gallery. He featured works by very famous artists like Yeats and Paul Henry. He also created many high-quality books about the art he displayed.
Nulty had a special love for everything related to the artist Percy French. He helped make French's art very popular, especially among Irish-Americans who bought many of his paintings.
Breaking New Ground
The Oriel Gallery was also the first to hold a special exhibition called an "avant-garde" show. This show featured art by Irish women artists like Mainie Jellet and Evie Hone. An "avant-garde" exhibition means it showed new and experimental art. The exhibition was opened by President Mary Robinson, who was the President of Ireland at the time.
When Oliver Nulty first opened the Oriel Gallery, there wasn't even a special section for Irish art in the National Gallery of Ireland. This shows how important his work was in promoting Irish artists.
Artists Featured at Oriel Gallery
The Oriel Gallery has shown works by many important Irish artists over the years. Some of these artists include:
- Percy French
- Anthony Murphy
- Markey Robinson
- Nicholas Hely Hutchinson
- Henry Jones Thaddeus
- George Russell
- Paul Henry
