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 Most exhibitions in: |
| Country |
№ |
| Ireland (Republic) | 43 |
| United Kingdom | 17 |
| USA | 5 |
| France | 5 |
Biography: 
10.11.1916 Born in Dublin (IE)
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Born in Dublin in 1916, Louis le Brocquy is a towering figure in the history of Irish painting. According to The Irish Times (Leader, November 4, 2006) 'This self-taught artist has come to be recognised both at home and internationally as the foremost Irish painter of the 20th century.' His work has received much international attention and many accolades in a career that spans seventy years of creative practice. In 1956, he represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale, winning the Premio Acquisito Internationale with A Family (coll. National Gallery of Ireland), subsequently included in the historic exhibition Fifty Years of Modern Art Brussels World Fair 1958. Widely acclaimed for his evocative portrait 'Heads' of literary figures and fellow artists, which include William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, and his friends Samuel Beckett, Francis Bacon and Seamus Heaney, in recent years le Brocquy's early Tinker subjects and Family paintings, have attracted headline attention on the international marketplace marking him as the fourth painter in Ireland and Britain to be evaluated within a very select group of artists, alonside Lucian Freud, David Hockney and Francis Bacon. Recognised by many as the greatest Irish artist of the twentieth century, and one of the greatest of any era, the recent realisation of over £1 million for one of his works at auction is not merely a record but an acknowledgement of his genius and international appeal. Acknowledged by museum retrospectives worldwide, the artist's work is represented in numerous public collections, from the Guggenheim in New York City to the Tate Gallery in London. In Ireland, he is honoured as the first and only living painter to be included in the Permanent Irish Collection of the National Gallery.
Le Brocquy's inquiry into the human condition is seminal to his motivation as a painter. This underlying concern has informed a number of significant developments. According to Francis Bacon, 'Le Brocquy belongs to a category of artists who have always existed - obsessed by figuration outside and on the other side of illustration - who are aware of the vast and potent possibilities of inventing ways by which fact and appearance can be reconjugated'. Important developments comprise: Early Works (1939-1945 incl. "Southern Window" (1939; coll. Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin), "A Picnic", (1940; coll. Irish Museum of Modern Art, Loan), establish the artist's ongoing preoccupation with the inward isolation of the individual.Girl in White (coll. Ulster Museum) establish the artist's ongoing preoccupation with the inward isolation of the individual. The Tinker paintings (1946-1950) incl. Tinkers Resting (coll. Tate Britain) developed concerns relating to their marginal lives. The Grey Period (1950-1956) incl. A Family (coll. National Gallery of Ireland) contemplated a stark human circumstance in the aftermath of the war. John Russell records that the artist was by then 'well known as a symbolist and thoughtful enquirer into the conditions of life'. His painting underwent a profound development in 1956 with the White Period (1956-1964) incl. Woman (coll. Tate Modern) that radicalised the human figure as an isolated presence, and the ensuing Head Series (1964-1996) incl. Head of an Irish Martyr (coll. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington) and Stele: Hommage à Entremont (1968; Collection Fondation Maeght, St Paul) that kindled his interest in the Celtic head culture. Initially anonymous, these images later depicted heads of specific individuals, including Shakespeare (coll. Guggenheim, New York City) and Image Ulterieure de Picasso (1983; Collection Picasso Museum, Antibes), whom the artist perceived as avatars of consciousness. In recent years he has undertaken a major series entitled Procession, and since 1996 has embarked on a body of work entitled Human Images, pursuing his interest in the Presence series. Louis le Brocquy's latest commission by the National Gallery of Ireland was to paint an image of his friend Bono, Image of Bono National Gallery of Ireland) publicly presented to the National Portrait Gallery in October 2003.
Among the many collaborations with Irish writers, notably Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney, le Brocquy is perhaps best known for his lithographic brush drawings for Thomas Kinsella's renowned translation of the Táin in 1969, held to be the great Irish Livre d'Artiste of the twentieth century. In 1988 it was at Samuel Beckett's personal request that le Brocquy illustrated his valedictory book, Stirrings Still (1988);, and designed the set and costumes for Waiting for Godot, Dublin, 1988, produced by the Gate Theatre throughout the world by the Gate Theatre, Dublin. Further important illustrated works include J.M. Synge's The Playboy of the Western World, 1970; Desmond O'Grady's The Gododdin, 1977; Andrew Carpenter's Eight Irish Writers, 1981 and James Joyce's Dubliners (1986)
Few artists anywhere have had as much experience in tapestry design. Along with his well-known predecessor Jean Lurçat, the artist has proved to be a master of the medium and a landmark figure in the revitalisation of this art form. Mostly woven in Aubusson, France, the tapestry designs include "Travellers" 1948, "Garlanded Goat" (1949-50), "Allegory" (1950), the "Eden series" (1951-52), the "Inverted series" (1948-99), the Táin series (1969-2000, Irish Museum of Modern Art), the "Cúchulainn series" (1973-1999), the "Garden series{" (2000). Large-scale tapestry commissions include "Brendan the Navigator" (1963-64, UCD, Michael Smurfit School of Business, Dublin), "The Hosting of the Táin" (1970; Irish Museum of Modern Art), the "Massing of the Armies" (RTÉ, Dublin) and the monumental "Triumph of Cúchulainn" (Irish Museum of Modern Art, Millennium Wing).
Positions include: Visiting Instructor, Central School of Arts & Crafts, London (1947-54); co-founder Signa Design Consultants, 1954; Visiting Tutor, Royal College of Art, London (1955-58); Fellow, Society of Industrial Artist's, London, 1960; Member, Irish Council of Design (1963-65); Inaugural Board Member, Kilkenny Design Workshops (1965-77); Fellow, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, London, 1974; Founder Board-Member, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, 1989-94.
Some of the honors bestowed on him include:
Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, (1975)
Officier de l'Ordre de la Couronne Belge, (2001)
Member of Aosdána
Elected Saoi of Aosdána conferred by President Mary Robinson 1992.
Officier des Arts et des Lettres, France, 1999
Hon. Litt. D., University of Dublin, 1962
Hon. Ll. D., University College, Dublin, 1988
IMMA/Glen Dimplex award for a sustained contribution to the visual arts in Ireland, Dublin, 1998
Hon. D. Ph., Dublin City University, 1999
Hon. D. Univ., Queen's University, Belfast 2002
Hon. D. Ph., Dublin Institute of Technology, 2004
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Public exhibitions 77
Solo shows 31
2007
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| Louis le Brocquy and His Masters: Early Heroes Later Homage - Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork |
2006
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| Louis le Brocquy - Homage to his Masters - - Gimpel Fils, London (England) |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Tinkers Resting, 1946 - Tate Britain, London (England) |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Portrait Heads. A celebration of the artist - National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Rétrospective à l´occasion de son 90ème anniversaire - Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Allegory & Legend - The Hunt Museum, Limerick |
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| Louis le Brocquy - A Celebration of the Artist's Ninetieth Year - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Selected work from the Irish Museum of Modern Art Collection - Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, Co Kerry |
2005
2004
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| Louis le Brocquy - Tain Tapestries - Millennium Monument Art Museum,, Beijing |
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| Louis le Brocquy - Heywood Community School, Co Laois |
2003
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| Louis le Brocquy - Procession - - Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork |
2002
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| The Táin Tapestries by Louis le Brocquy - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
2001
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| Louis le Brocquy - Aubusson Tapestries - - Agnew´s Contemporary, London (England) |
2000
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| Louis le Brocquy - Images of federico Garcia Lorca - Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca |
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| Louis le Brocquy - The Tain Portfolios - Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca, Oaxaca |
1998
1996
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| Louis le Brocquy Retrospective - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
1982
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| Etudes vers une images de William Shakespeare - Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris |
1979
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| Images de W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Federico Garcia, Auguste Strindberg, Francis Bacon - Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris |
Group shows 46
2009
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| Then + Now: Evolving Art Practices - Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork |
2008
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| Hugh Lane Centenary Print Collection - Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin |
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| As Láthair/Off Site - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| What lies beneath the surface - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| A Selection from the Niland Collection - Draíocht, Dublin |
2007
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| Le Corps et son double - Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris |
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| The Francis Bacon Studio - A selected display of correspondence - Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin |
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| (I’m Always Touched) By Your Presence, Dear - New Acquisitions - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| Treasures from the North - Irish Paintings from the Ulster Museum - National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin |
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| Irish Art of the Seventies - Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork |
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| Radharc - Galway Arts Centre, Galway |
2006
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| The Borrowing - Cootehill Library & Arts Centre, Cootehill, Co. Cavan |
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| A Time and A Place: two centuries of Irish social life - National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin |
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| Ten Years in the Making. An Exhibition of art from State Buildings 1995 - 2005 - Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin |
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| Samuel Beckett: a passion for paintings - National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin |
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| Irish Art of the Seventies - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| Re:Collection - Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby, Warwickshire (England) |
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| Connected - Unconnected - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
2005
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| Siar 50 - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| On Reflection, Modern Irish Art from the 1960's to the 1990's - Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork |
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| The White Stag Group - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| Rugby Collection - Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby, Warwickshire (England) |
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| Eye of the Storm: The IMMA Collection - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
2004
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| Views from an Island and Representing the Táin - Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai |
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| Joyce in Art - RHA Gallagher Gallery - Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin |
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| In the Time of Shaking: Irish artists for Amnesty International - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| High Falutin Stuff - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
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| A Vision of Modern Art in Memory of Dorothy Walker - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
2003
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| Rugby Collection - Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby, Warwickshire (England) |
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| Recent Acquisitions to the IMMA Collection - Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin |
2002
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| The Public Eye: 50 Years of The Arts Council of Northern Ireland Collection - City Art Centre, Edinburgh (Scotland) |
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| Rugby Collection & Art Works - Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby, Warwickshire (England) |
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| The Public Eye: 50 years of the Arts Council Collection - Ormeau Baths Gallery OBG, Belfast (Northern Ireland) |
2001
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| Great Britain - The 1960s - Joseph Rickards Gallery, New York City, NY |
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| THE SERIOUS AND THE SMIRK - National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin |
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| Winter Group Exhibition - Joseph Rickards Gallery, New York City, NY |
2000
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| Une Ville-Une Collection - Centre de la Gravure et de l'Image imprimée, La Louvière |
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| Reunion - Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby, Warwickshire (England) |
1999
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| When Time began to Rant and Rage - Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive BAM/PFA, Berkeley, CA |
1998
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| When Time Began To Rant and Rage - Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (England) |
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| Usporednosti - 12 Francuskih Umjetnika - Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik |
1990
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| Nous citoyens de la communauté européenne - Centre d'Art le LAIT, Albi |
1960
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| New Europeans - Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, TX |
1957
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| Recent Contemporary Acquisitions – Houston - Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, TX |
| Dealer Directory 5 |
France
| | Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris
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Ireland (Republic)
United Kingdom
| | Gimpel Fils, London (England)
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Public collections 17
India
| | National Gallery of Modern Art - New Delhi, New Delhi
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Ireland (Republic)
| | Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork
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| | Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin
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| | Irish Museum of Modern Art - IMMA, Dublin
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| | National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
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| | The Hunt Museum, Limerick
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| | Model Arts & Niland Gallery, Sligo
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Portugal
United Kingdom
| | The Naughton Gallery at Queen's, Belfast (Northern Ireland)
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| | Ulster Museum, Belfast (Northern Ireland)
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| | Dundee Contemporary Arts - DCA, Dundee (Scotland)
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| | Tate Britain, London (England)
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| | Tate Modern, London (England)
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| | Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby, Warwickshire (England)
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USA
| | Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive BAM/PFA, Berkeley, CA
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| | Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City, NY
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| | Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC
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Catalogs
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