150th anniversary of first impressionist exhibition in 1874

Céiliúradh ar an gceathrar ban ba réabhlóidí in ealaín an 19ú haois, díríonn Women Impressionists ar Berthe Morisot, Eva Gonzales, Marie Bracquemond agus Mary Cassatt a bhí lárnach i ngluaiseacht an impriseanachais.

Mar ealaíontóir táim go ginearálta amhrasach fén dtaispeántas ollghuthach iarsmalann a thiontaíonn saothar ealaíne ina bhranda agus marsantas..."The must see exhibition of the summer". Mar sin ba le roinnt amhrais gur thug mé cuairt ar an taispeántas nua-oscailte Women Impressionists sa Dánlann Náisiúnta, le turas léiritheora ag Janet McLean.

As an artist generally I am somewhat wary of the museum blockbuster exhibition that turns artworks into a brand and merchandise…."The must see exhibition of the summer". So it was with some wariness I visited the newly opened Women Impressionists exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland with a curator's tour by Janet McLean.

Ní maolaisnéis atá ann a rá go raibh mé corraithe ag na saothar sa taispeántas seo agus is léir mar a thacaigh na healaíontóirí a chéile sa siúracht seo, iad ag sárú dúshláin phearsanta agus gairmiúla lena gcuid ealaín a chruthú agus a thaispeáint. Ba léir tuiscint agus cur amach Janet McLean ar shaoil na n-ealaíontóirí mná seo agus a ngaol lena chéile.

We feel we are so familiar with the work of the Impressionists, the Impressionism brand - reproductions on posters, fridge magnets, tea towels, chocolate boxes to mugs, key rings and screen savers - emblazoned reproductions, flattened and shiny. But this is the image of the impressionists’ paintings with which we are familiar. Walter Benjamin in his influential essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction - argued that 'even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: Its presence in time and space" – what he deemed an artworks aura.

Bhaist lucht chritice, a chreid gur ábhar neamh-chríochnaithe, brocacha iad, 'impriseanachas’ mar mhasla ar na luathshaothair seo. Cháin lucht léirmheasta buillí scuaibe dána, feiceálacha seo na n-ealaíontóirí nua, iad ró ‘péintéiriúil’ dar leo.

While these Women Impressionists’ subject matter may seem somewhat whimsical and sentimental - flowery paintings, pretty women and children in gardens, the subject matter that surrounded them, immediate, ordinary and everyday. Their subject matter was merely the vehicle for their experimental approaches to painting, striving to capture colour, light and atmosphere - impressionism. You need to look up close – look to the edges.

The Paintings – Na Saothar

Ná bíodh dul amú ort, ní buillí scuaibe séimhe, triopallacha iad seo – tá fuinnimh amh, iontais sa chur agus sa mbaint péint ar na dromchlaí seo. Maraon le éadroime agus scil láimhe, buillí scuaibe dána, triallacha, is léir fuinnimh na muiníne agus an ghliondar chomh maith le fuinnimh an phéint is an dath ar gach dromchla neartaithe le tuiscint, geall le bheith eolaíoch, ar sholas agus dath.

With over 40 paintings in this exhibition – there is a lot to look at and enjoy. In Berthe Morisot’s painting 'In the Bois de Boulogne' there are flashes of electric ultramarine blue and crimson feels like it is freshly crushed flowers were in the very pigments of the paint. Delight and joy in brushwork. In Eugène Manet and his 'Daughter at Bougival' - a single dynamic stroke of indigo purple suffices to for a trouser pleat and zings against the startling spectrum of green foliage. You get the feeling Berthe Morisot has just walked away, that she may yet return to add or remove a brushstroke...

Sa saothar 'The Visitor' le Mary Cassatt – tá codán gearrtha ina mhacasamhail portráid de chuid Renoir laistigh de shaothar le Wilhelm De Kooning; an chuma ar na himeall go bhfuil scríobtha, scrabha siar ar na sraitheanna péint, iad saothraithe agus ath-shaothraithe. Is léir cuid de na saothar bheith ceannródaíoch dos na heispriseanachaigh ach chomh maith dos na heispriseanachaigh teibí agus gluaiseacht péinteála na ‘ngoirt daite’ (ie leithéidí Mark Rothko) a tháinig ina ndiaidh - dianghrá don phéint agus úire na buillí scuaibe, maraon le lonrachas a n-úsáid dathanna. Seo péinteáil mar rian-chruthú.

Marie Braquemond's paintings are somewhat slower and more calculated – the science of the colour spectrum, the complimentary colours placed side by side in closely ordered near obsessive brushstrokes. Captivating the transition of light as it moves across the surface - how light touches white.

Preabann ceiliúradh agus grá péint agus dath as an taispeántas seo, agus ní ar bhealach bhréagach, paistíseach. Is fada iad na saothar seo ó phictiúir aeracha mhná fíneálta. Is léir an bród náisiúnta i mbailiúcháin seo ón Gailearaí Náisiúnta agus Dánlann Hugh Lane atá dhá roinnt leo; ceannach críonna ón dá ionad, seoda an taispeántais iad.

So over the summer be prepared to see advertising for the Women Impressionists popping up on bus shelters, screens and on social media but go and see it, spend time, enjoy, get up close and be in the same space, in the real and bask in the light, luminosity, colour and joy of painting of these great Women Impressionist painters.

Leanann Women Impressionists sa Dánlann Náisiúnta idir 27 Meitheamh – 6 Deireadh Fómhar 2024.