Rediscover Mary Swanzy an Avant Garde Irish Artist of Note
An almost forgotten Irish artist, whose Cubist paintings hang in the Hugh Lane Gallery Dublin deserves more recognition for the wild colour schemes and vitality in her work.
Mary Swanzy’s paintings are hard to miss, and while adding a vibrancy to the Hugh Lane Gallery walls, many have never heard of her. Although she exhibited often, having lived and trained in Paris before World War 1, she fell into obscurity. Mainly it is thought due to her gender.
Mary Swanzy was born on February 15th 1882 in Dublin to Sir Henry Rosborough Swanzy, an eye surgeon, and his wife, Mary (nee Denham). They lived at 23 Merrion Square.
Following an education at Alexandra College in Earlfort Terrace, Dublin, Mary studied at the Lycee in Versailles and a Day School in Freiburg, Germany.
Not a typical education for an Irish girl, but fitting for the daughter of a titled Protestant gentleman.
In 1905 she moved to Paris, where she was a pupil at the Delacluse Studio for women painters, took classes at the Academie de La Grand Chaumiere and the Academie Colorossi.
Mary Swanzy, having been in Paris at the Birth of Modern Art, was influenced by many genres of painting. For instance the mark of Paul Gauguin is obvious in her painting Somoan Scene from 1924. She experimented with Cubist, Fauve and Futuristic styles.
Swanzy exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon des Independents and the Beaux Arts. She also lived on and off in Dublin, being present for the Rising of 1916. She had some exhibitions here. But while she returned to Dublin following the outbreak of World War 2 for three years, she chose to go back to London. She had lived there before the war. She also lived to a ripe old age and was quoted as saying her life would have been very different if she’d been born a male.
Perhaps to redress the question why Mary Swanzy’s beautiful and ineigmatic work has largely been forgotten — in 2018 IMMA (the Irish Museum Of Modern Art) showcased a First Retrospective called VOYAGES of Swanzy’s work.
You can also drop in the Hugh Lane and see her paintings for yourself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised, and I’d encourage you to seek out more of her work.
- Mary Swanzy’s paintings are valued at between €800 and €30,000.
- Mary Swanzy (1882–1978)
If you like my work ☕☕☕
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