Conor Tallon and Michael Waldron astnt Curator at the Crawford Art Gallery are...Talking heads this week!

It’s artist James Barry’s 215th anniversary, so we’ve dedicated this WORK OF THE WEEK to him!

The remarkable career of ‘great historical painter’ James Barry (1741-1806) took him from his native Cork to Dublin, Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice, and finally London. His life in the British capital saw him become not only a member of the Royal Academy of Arts but also its professor of painting. In 1799, however, his outspoken views gained him the distinction of being the only academician to ever be expelled… until 2004, that is!

James Barry died in London on this day in 1806 and, on 4 March, he was interred next to his great rival, Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), in the crypt at St Paul’s Cathedral. A memorial was later erected there, featuring one of four busts of Barry modelled by Joseph Panzetta (fl.1789-1830) but based on a portrait by William Evans. Another of these busts has been in The Crawford collection since 2005.

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