Daniel Maclise Lecture Theatre

Daniel Maclise (1806-1870), painter.

Born in Cork as Daniel McClish, the son of a discharged British soldier, a shoemaker. From 1822 he drew from the newly arrived collection of plaster casts of the Vatican marbles at the Cork Institute (now in the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery). He was patronised by the antiquarian Richard Sainthill and the folklorist T. Crofton Croker and first came to public notice in 1825, when he lithographed a portrait he had drawn of Sir Walter Scott on a visit to Cork, which led to local commissions for portrait drawings. He also toured the south of Ireland, making drawings of picturesque views. Throughout his career he treated Irish subjects such as Snap Apple (1833), and provided book illustrations of Irish subjects. In 1827 he went to London and in 1828 studied at the Royal Academy, gaining the Gold medal for History Painting in 1831. During the 1830s he developed a highly literary form of history painting, indebted to Shakespeare, the gothic revival and Netherlandish art. He was deeply involved in literary circles, notably that of Fraser's Magazine, for which he made lithographic portraits and Charles Dickens whose books he illustrated and had a wide circle of literary acquaintances.

In the mid-1840s his careers centred on commissions for murals for the Houses of Parliament, London, heavily influenced by French and German mural art. His Irish romantic side was most evident in his Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife (1854) at the National Gallery of Ireland. His work at the Houses of Parliament culminated in two gigantic murals, The Meeting of Wellington and Blucher (1861) and The Death of Nelson (1865), which show his pessimistic reaction to the destruction of war. Through engravings these had a wide circulation; however official interest in such vast decorative schemes waned, and the work was discontinued. In his last years he returned to the literary and poetic subjects of his youth; he also painted a number of fine portraits and worked extensively as a book illustrator, for which his strong draughtsmanship was sell suited.

- John Turpin

Daniel Maclise (1806 – 1870) Péintéir

Rugadh é i gCorcaigh mar Daniel Maclish, mac le saighdiúir Briotánach scaoilte, gréasaí.  Ó 1822 i leith tharraing sé ó bhailiúchán theilgean plástair de mharmar an Vatacáin ag Foras Chorcaí a bhí díreach tagtha (anois i nGealaraí Crawford na Cathrach).  Rinne an t-ársaitheoir Richard Sainthill agus an béaloideasóir T. Crofton Croker pátrúnacht air agus tugadh aird phoiblí air ar dtús in 1825 nuair a liotagraif sé portráid a bhí tarraingthe aige de Sir Walter Scott ar chuairt ar Chorcaigh, as a tháinig coimisiúin áitiúla do líníochtaí portráide.  Thug sé camchuairt freisin ar dheisceart na hÉireann, ag déanamh líonaíochtaí de radhairc phictiúrtha.

I gcaitheamh a ghairme phléigh sé le hábhair Ghaelacha geall le Snap Apple (1833), agus sholáthraigh sé léaráidí leabhar d’ábhair Ghaelacha.  In 1827 chuaigh sé go Londain agus sa bhliain 1828 chuaigh sé i mbun staidéir san Acadamh Ríoga, agus bhain sé amach an Bhoinn Óir do Phéintéireacht Staire in 1831.  I rith na 1830dí d’fhorbair sé foirm ardliteartha de phéintéireacht staire, i bhfiacha ag Shakespeare, ag an Athbheochan Ghotach agus an ealaín Ísiltíreach.  Bhí dlúthbhaint aige le ciorcail litríochta, go príomhdha ceann Iris Fraser, a rinne sé portráid liteagrafacha di, agus Charles Dickens dá mhaisigh sé a chuid leabhar, agus bhí ciorcal leathan de dhaoine aitheantais liteartha aige.  I lár na 1840dí lárnaigh a ghairm ar choimisiúin do mhúrmhaisithe do Thithe na Parlaiminte, Londain, a raibh tionchar mór ag ealaín mhúrach Fhraincis agus Ghearmáinis air.  Bhí a thaobh Gaelach rómánsúil follasach go formhór ina Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife (1854) ag Dánlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann.  Shroic a chuid oibre ag Tithe na Parlaiminte buaic i dhá mhúrmhaisiú ábhalmhór, The Meeting of Wellington and Blucher  (1861) agus The Death of Nelson (1865), a thaispeánann a fhrithfhreagairt dhuairc ar scrios an chogaidh.  Scaipeadh iad seo go forleathan de bharr greanadóireachtaí; ach diaidh ar ndiaidh laghdaíodh ar shuim oifigiúil i scéimeanna maisiúla ollmhóra dá leithéid, agus scoireadh den obair.

Sna blianta deiridh dá shaol d’fhill sé thar n-ais ar ábhair liteartha agus fileata a óige; phéinteáil sé roinnt phortráid bhreátha agus d’oibrigh sé go fairsing mar mhaisitheoir leabhar, a d’óir a chuid línitheoireachta láidre dó go maith.
                       
 - John Turpin