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84 Norah McGuinness HRHA (1901-1980) CHARLEVILLE HOUSE, ENNISKERRY, CO WICKLOW (1945)signed lower right & dated ‘45
oil on canvas
71.25 x 92cm (28 x 36in)
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George Gallery, Dublin;
Private Collection
€8,000-12,000 (£6,956-10,434)
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School before going on to study at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin (now the National College of Art and Design).
She studied painting under the artist Patrick Tuohy and design with stained glass artist Harry Clarke. McGuinness set up a
studio in Dublin and her work included costume design and sets for the Abbey and Peacock theatres in Dublin. As well as her
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Rose. McGuinness was part of the circle of artists that included women painters Evie Hone, Mainie Jellett, Mary Swanzy and
May Guinness. Each of these was determined to progress the development of art in Ireland in their individual way. Like her
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Paris, McGuinness embraced cubist elements in her landscape painting: fragmentation, multiple viewpoints and sharp geometric
elements appeared in her work. Along with Mainie Jellett, Louis Le Brocquy and others, McGuinness was one of the founding
members of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art, which was set up to showcase modern art in the country and to act as an alternative
to the more conservative R.H.A. exhibitions. On the death of Mainie Jellett she became chairman, and upheld the position for
almost twenty years. In 1950, alongside Nano Reid, she represented Ireland in the Venice Biennale. She was elected an honorary
member of the R.H.A. in 1957 and received an honorary doctorate from Trinity College in 1973.