The diversely talented Orpen family on display at Farmleigh

Sir William Orpen: A family legacy

by Dominic Lee (Office of Public Works, €10.00)

The Vision of a 19th Century Lensman Goddard Orpen 1852-1932

by Jeremy Hill (Monskgrange Archive, €65.00.)

For an outing on a fine summer’s day, the house and estate of Farmleigh are a very attractive destination. At the moment, there are two exhibitions of view in the attached galleries, both relating to the Orpen family of artists and writers?

The first is ‘Sir William Orpen: a family legacy’ which has been curated by Dominic Lee, of the Orpen Research Archives. This is paired ‘Goddard Orpen: a vision of a 19th century Lensman’, curated by Jeremy Hill, of the Monskgrange archives, the family home of the photographer.  This consists of some 47 images, which can be purchased, the fees going towards sustaining the archive.

There is an excellent and informative catalogue by Dominic Lee for the first exhibition.  For the second there is a separate catalogue, a copy of which was unavailable for review, though the photographs on show can be visited online at the Monksgrange website.

Sir William Orpen has since the beginning of his career been a celebrated painter. Art lovers will be familiar with his work, especially his large society portraits, and his vivid work as an official war artist in the Great War.

But do not let familiarity breed contempt. This is a fascinating show. There are indeed large portraits, of his family and others, including two of William Martin Murphy, slightly varied, which some may think are too much of a good thing.

But there are images and drawings by generations of Orpens, including many of Orpen’s own off the cuff caricatures which are a delight. The gallery is small enough to provide a very personal ambiance for what is indeed a very intimate and personal show, even his palette and easel are included.

That so many members of the one family should be such talented visual artists is surprising. But even more surprising are the photographs of the not uncontroversial historian Goddard Henry Orpen. These are truly wonderful, fresh new views of his children, family and scenes of life in Ireland and abroad.

Whatever about the genius of Sir William Orpen, his second  cousin Goddard is certainly a great addition to the roll call of Ireland’s pioneering photographers.  (“Lensman” is too modish a term for this reviewer.)

These alone, especially those of the west of Ireland, are well worth the effort to get to Farmleigh, especially if you can have copies of them to grace your own walls.  They reveal a sensitivity to light and composition that never seems to fail him, a man of innate respect to all, accepted by children, natives of Aran, and travellers in their roadside tents.

(Runs to August 25. Admission free. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10.00am- 5.00pm. Closed for lunch 1pm-2pm.)