3 May 2019 – 19 January 2020

In the centenary year of the Joseph Stafford Gibson Bequest, this exhibition examines the legacy of this major philanthropist who secured the establishment of the Crawford Art Gallery’s collection of Irish and European artworks in the early twentieth century.

Drawing on ideas around selecting, collecting and philanthropy the exhibition will display key works of national importance such as Seán Keating’s Men of the South and Sir John Lavery’s The Red Rose alongside less known artists, including Anne St. John Partridge and Grace Henry. 

Through new research, the exhibition reveals the decisions taken in acquiring artworks and the dilemmas considered regarding the Gibson Collection’s Salon des Refusés – the works that were refused.

Curated by Dawn Williams and Michael Waldron