The National Gallery of Ireland is to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) with a number of special events from July to the end of the year.
Shaw's bequest to the National Gallery in 1950 has made him the institution's most generous financial benefactor.
In acknowledgement of the fact that a significant part of his education came from visits to the Gallery during his childhood, he therefore decided to leave it a third of his posthumous royalties.
The Shaw Fund has been a major source for new acquisitions, from Giovanni di Paolo, to Signac and Pissarro.
The events that will take place include an exhibition documenting Shaw's relationship with the Gallery presented in the context of the many portraits of him, his love of music and the impact of the Shaw Fund.
To mark the date of the 150th anniversary of his birth on Wednesday 26 July, the Gallery will present an afternoon programme of festivities, starting with a special presentation at 2pm in the Shaw Room by renowned actor and director, Alan Stanford, followed by afternoon tea and music performed by the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Later in the afternoon there will be an introduction to the Shaw exhibition by curator Adrian Le Harivel.
A full programme of festival events is available online at: www.nationalgallery.ie
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