Visual Arts Special: Hugh Lane Gallery

Hugh Lane Gallery

Centred around the collection and vision of Hugh Lane himself, who held the first exhibition of Irish Art in London in 1904, the Hugh Lane Gallery is housed in the magnificent 18th century Charlemont Houseon Parnell Square. It has a history of being at the forefront of Irish art – it was the first gallery to house impressionist paintings in any public collection across Britain and Ireland, and has continued to push boundaries ever since. Notably, it houses Francis Bacon’s studio and archive – the first computerised archive of the entire contents of a world-ranking artist’s studio – comprised of books, photographs, canvases, materials and drawings. The gallery, which focuses on modern and contemporary art and excellence in Irish art practice, also has a room devoted to the great Irish abstract painter Sean Scully, in addition to one dedicated to stained glass.

Spotlight Piece: Sean Scully’s Landline Gray on view now