Looking past the apparent lack of a sustainable Irish display culture, this book demonstrates that there is a very full story to tell of the way Ireland displayed its art from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century.

Starting with a discussion of what makes a portrait particular to one country or region, Fintan Cullen explores the contradictions within existing definitions of national art.

"The publication of these texts in a single volume enables the reader to create useful historical comparisons as well as facilitating the careful examination of historical documents.

This book, which accompanies a National Portrait Gallery exhibition, explores the Irish presence in London during the Victorian period, focusing on prominent individuals including the writers Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats and G.B. Shaw; ...

A close examination of individual paintings and works of art by both Irish and non-Irish artists defines the structure of the book which is a closely argued series of thematically-based chapters, exploring how Ireland has been represented ...

The introductory essays and catalogue text situate the works, mostly portraits, in Yeats' personal life and in the era in which he lived.