Explore the wonders of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection, and take a leisurely stroll around our beautiful galleries from the comfort of your own home in the first in a series of virtual tours.
Our physical buildings may be temporarily closed, but you can transport yourself behind our walls by taking a virtual tour of our rooms, where you are free to navigate and explore the works on display at your own pace.
The Grand Gallery
The Grand Gallery is dedicated to the eighteenth-century Enlightenment and includes works of art by British, Irish, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Swiss artists. The Enlightenment in Europe and America was partly a reaction to the wars and autocracy of the previous century, represented by Jan Wyck’s monumental depiction of the Battle of the Boyne of 1690.
In the following century, the absolute rule of monarchs was challenged and attempts were made to separate church and state. Intellectuals and politicians sought an era of progress, tolerance, political and personal freedom, alongside literary self-expression and scientific enquiry. The great French Encyclopédie, published in 35 volumes between 1751 and 1772, is a great example of this. The foundation of the [Royal] Dublin Society in 1731, aimed at raising the level of Irish agriculture, art and science, is another. There was also a major expansion in the range and availability of music and theatre.
Each work of art in the Grand Gallery has a link to Ireland, whether by artist, subject, sitter, former owner or source of acquisition
Rooms 48 – 45
