Artwork
The Dublin Volunteers on College Green, 4th November 1779
The Dublin Volunteers on College Green, 4th November 1779 is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Francis Wheatley. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Overview
The Dublin Volunteers on College Green, 4th November 1779, is an oil painting by Francis Wheatley, capturing a specific historical moment in Dublin. Executed between 1779 and 1780, it commemorates the parade of approximately 1,000 Irish Volunteers on College Green to mark the birthday of William III of England.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Irish Volunteers, a military force formed in response to the threat of invasion during the American War of Independence, parading and firing a salute near the statue of William III. Although loyal to the crown, the Volunteers sought greater autonomy for the Parliament of Ireland, achieving this goal with the establishment of Grattan's Parliament in 1782.
Technique & Style
Wheatley employed chiaroscuro to create depth and drama, focusing attention on central figures. The composition features a procession led by men on horseback, followed by orderly rows of soldiers in red and white uniforms, set against a backdrop of buildings with onlookers in windows and rooftops, amidst rising smoke.
History & Provenance
Created during Wheatley's time in Dublin, where he fled to escape creditors, the painting was exhibited by the Irish Society of Artists. It is now part of the National Gallery of Ireland's collection, gifted by the Duke of Leinster in 1891.
Context
The work provides a rare visual record of Trinity College Dublin's Bell Tower (since demolished) and reflects the complex political landscape of late 18th-century Ireland, where religious and national identities intersected with loyalty to the British crown.
Legacy
Beyond its historical significance, the painting is notable for its depiction of a pivotal moment in Ireland's push for parliamentary autonomy and as one of Wheatley's key works from his Irish period, alongside The Irish House of Commons.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francis Wheatley RA (1747 – 28 June 1801) was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting and landscape art.
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