A new exhibition explores Irish artists’ enduring fascination with animals through rarely seen treasures from the Gallery’s archives.
This summer, the National Gallery of Ireland invites visitors to discover Créatúir na Cartlainne | Tails from the Archive, a free exhibition that is now open.
Curated from the collections of the Centre for the Study of Irish Art, this bilingual exhibition celebrates the rich—and often surprising—ways in which Irish artists have engaged with the animal world, depicting creatures as sources of joy, humour, companionship, inspiration and wonder.
The exhibition lets visitors explore rarely seen works from the Gallery’s library and archives. Beloved pets, tiny creatures, and wild beasts emerge from the pages of sketchbooks and illustrated letters—or are captured forever in watercolours and maquettes.
With a particular focus on recent acquisitions, Créatúir na Cartlainne | Tails from the Archive features the work of Nancy Wynne-Jones (1922–2006), Conor Fallon (1939–2007), Bea Orpen (1913–1980), Daniel O’Neill (1920–1974), Anne Yeats (1919–2001), Oisín Kelly (1915–1981), Elizabeth C. Yeats (1868–1940), Basil Rákóczi (1908–1979), Jack B. Yeats (1871–1957), Walter Osborne (1859–1903) and William Orpen (1878–1931).
The exhibition draws on the lyrical richness of the Irish language to deepen our connection to the natural world. Poetic seanfhocail and familiar and forgotten Irish words reveal a playful and empathetic relationship with living creatures—one that reflects the curiosity and delight in depicting the animal world that we repeatedly encounter in artist archives.
Créatúir na Cartlainne | Tails from the Archive unleashes a menagerie of hidden animals—from both the Irish art archives and from the depths of the Irish dictionary—and reminds us to cherish the lively and descriptive lyricism of our language. There we may rediscover past ways of understanding and co-existing with our fellow creatures.
Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, said, “Créatúir na Cartlainne | Tails from the Archive reveals the enduring power of animals to inspire Irish artists across generations. This exhibition celebrates the beauty of everyday encounters with the natural world, and the rich artistic and linguistic heritage that helps us see these creatures not only with affection but with wonder. It is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to explore new acquisitions, shown alongside rarely seen works from the national collection.”
Marie Lynch, Curator of the Centre for the Study of Irish Art at the National Gallery of Ireland, said, “Créatúir na Cartlainne | Tails from the Archive draws on the remarkable collections of the Centre for the Study of Irish Art to uncover playful, poignant, and sometimes unexpected depictions of animals. By pairing these visual treasures with evocative Irish seanfhocail, the exhibition offers a fresh lens through which to explore our shared cultural and linguistic heritage—one that reflects a deep affection for and fascination with the animal world.”
Créatúir na Cartlainne | Tails from the Archive is now open at National Gallery of Ireland in Room 11 and runs until July 2026, supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.
Feature Image: Fallon – Sketch of a Sleeping Dog
