Paul Henry (painter) facts for kids

Paul Henry (born April 11, 1876 – died August 24, 1958) was an Irish artist. He was well-known for his paintings of the West of Ireland. His style was simple and modern, influenced by Post-Impressionism.

Paul Henry's Early Life and Art Journey

Paul Henry was born in Belfast, Ireland. His father, Rev Robert Mitchell Henry, was a minister. His mother was Kate Ann Berry.

He started drawing regularly at Methodist College Belfast in 1882. When he was fifteen, he moved to the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He studied art at the Belfast School of Art. Later, in 1898, he went to Paris to study at the Académie Julian. He also learned at Whistler's Académie Carmen.

Painting the West of Ireland

In 1903, Henry married another painter, Grace Henry. They returned to Ireland in 1910. He lived on Achill Island until 1919. There, he learned to paint the special light and scenery of the West of Ireland.

In 1919, he moved to Dublin. The next year, in 1920, he helped start the Society of Dublin Painters. This group began with ten artists. Henry also designed many posters for railways. Some of these, like Connemara Landscape, sold very well. He and Grace separated in 1929. His second wife was the artist Mabel Young.

His Impact on Irish Art

During the 1920s and 1930s, Paul Henry was Ireland's most famous artist. He greatly shaped how people imagined the west of Ireland. Even though he stopped trying new techniques after leaving Achill, he created many beautiful paintings. Their popularity shows how much he influenced art.

Henry had red-green colour blindness, which affected how he used colours. He lost his eyesight in 1945 and never got it back before he passed away.

After his death, special shows of his art were held. One was at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1973. The National Gallery of Ireland also had a big exhibition of his work in 2004.

One of Henry's paintings was shown on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow in 2006. Experts thought it was worth about £40,000–60,000. However, because the Irish art market was strong, it sold for €260,000 in December 2006.

Paul Henry died at his home in Bray, County Wicklow. His wife, Mabel, was still alive.

Where to See His Art

You can find Paul Henry's paintings in these places:

• Model Arts and Niland Gallery, Sligo
• Crawford Art Gallery, Cork (including Landscape; 1923)
• Musée du Luxembourg
• National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
• Ulster Museum, Belfast
• Hunt Museum, Limerick

See also

• List of Northern Irish artists

Images for kids

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  A plaque for Paul Henry in Belfast. It has the wrong birth year.

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  Landscape shows Henry's style. He balanced real details with modern ideas. He focused on the main parts of the West of Ireland's scenery. Things like turf stacks and hills work together, showing what he learned from Whistler.