Adams Important Irish Art 23rd March 2016 : You can Download a PDF Version from the Bottom Menu Down Arrow Icon

Watercolour, 27 x 24cm (10½ x 9½”)

Signed

€ 300 - 500

Born in Dublin, Jack Hanlon originally studied for the priesthood at University College Dublin, Holy

Cross and Maynooth College, but had begun exhibiting at the RHA at the age of twenty-one. His train-

ing mainly involved the art of looking, as he spent time in France, Belgium and Spain where he visited

galleries, museums and cathedrals looking for inspiration. His formal training consisted of a spell at

the studio of Andre Lhote in Paris, where he met Henri Matisse whose fauvist style was similar in ways

to his own.

1939 was a significant year for Hanlon, as his work was included in an exhibition at the New York

World Fair, and having completed his studies for the priesthood he was ordained. From that year on

he enjoyed a steady run of exhibitions. From 1940 to 1968 he exhibited regularly with the Water Co-

lour Society of Ireland, and had solo shows at the Victor Waddington Galleries in 1941, ’46, ’48 and ’53.

During the war years he also designed Christmas Cards for Victor Waddington Publications. Hanlon

was involved in setting up the Irish Exhibition of Living Art, sitting on the first executive committee in

1943 and exhibiting with them frequently.

He was commissioned to create murals for the Irish Pavillion at the Chicago World Fair and also com-

pleted one at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Cobh, Co. Cork. This was just one of his ecclesiastical

commissions. He executed numerous oils for churches around the country and in 1957 designed and

supervised the production of vestments that were made by a group of seven Sisters of the Convent of

Perpetual Adoration, which were then presented to Pope Pius XII by the Irish Government. After the

Waddington Gallery closed in Dublin he held solo shows with the Dawson Gallery in 1958, 1962 and

1965.