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Garret Morphy

c. 1650-1716 Ireland/Baroque

 

Brief Biography-Garret Morphy was the first Irish-born artist of note; however, it is unknown when he was born, but it may have been in the 1650s. He received tuition from the Dutch artist Gaspar Smitz, who came to Ireland via England in c. 1670. Morphy went to Holland in the 1680s and encountered Gaspar Netscher, and in that same decade, Morphy painted in England, where Peter Lely influenced his work. He returned to Ireland in c. 1689 and painted for numerous distinguished clients. As a Catholic, his predominant sitters were of the same religion; however, when catholic landowners began to lose their status in Ireland, his uptake clientele became more protestant. He is estimated to have raised the level of Irish portraiture to that of Dutch and English artists. His most famous portrait is of Archbishop Oliver Plunkett.

 

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Ann
O'Neill

Ann O'Neill Later Mrs Segrave

Frances
Talbot

Frances Talbot

Rose
O'Neill

Rose O'Neill later Mrs Nicholas Wogan

Ursula
Bunbury

Ursula Bunbury Later Mrs Morgan

Brigadier
Wolseley

Brigadier General William Wolseley

James Bryan
of Jenkinstown

James Bryan of Jenkinstown County Kilkenny

Lady Kingston
Upon Hull

Lady Kingston Upon Hull

Lady Neil
O'Neill

Lady Neil O'Neill

Mary Fifth
Viscountess

Mary Fifth Viscountess Molyneux

Richard Fifth
Viscount

Richard Fifth Viscount Molyneux of Maryborough

Sir Abstrupus
Danby

Sir Abstrupus Danby

William Fourth
Viscount

William Fourth Viscount Molyneux of Maryborough

Lady Fortescue
of Credan

Lady Fortescue of Credan County Waterford

Margaret
O'Cahan

Margaret O'Cahan

Major General
Arthur

Major General  Arthur Chichester third Earl of Donegall

Henry Loftus
of Loftus Hall

Henry Loftus of Loftus Hall

Lady Jane
Chichester

Lady Jane Chichester