Artwork

Taking Measurements - The Artist Copying a Cast in the Hall of the National Gallery of Ireland

Taking Measurements - The Artist Copying a Cast in the Hall of the National Gallery of Ireland is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Richard Moynan. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.

About this work

Overview

The composition captures the spacious hall bathed in natural light, emphasizing both the architectural setting and the act of artistic observation.

Created in 1894 by Dublin‑born painter Richard Moynan, this oil on canvas records a quiet moment inside the National Gallery of Ireland. A gentleman in a dark suit and top hat stands beneath a skylight, measuring a classical plaster cast while surrounded by marble statues. The composition captures the spacious hall bathed in natural light, emphasizing both the architectural setting and the act of artistic observation.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is an artist‑type figure engaged in the precise task of taking measurements from a cast of a classical sculpture. By focusing on this meticulous activity, the work reflects the 19th‑century preoccupation with academic study, the transmission of ancient ideals, and the contemplative relationship between the observer and the object of study.

Technique & Style

Moynan employs a loose, impressionistic brushwork that softens the architectural details while preserving the texture of the marble and the sheen of the subject’s clothing. The palette is dominated by muted earth tones punctuated by the bright daylight filtering through the skylight, creating a subtle contrast between the solidity of the statues and the fleeting quality of the surrounding atmosphere.

History & Provenance

The painting was executed during Moynan’s mature period, when he was active in Dublin’s artistic circles. It has remained in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it continues to be displayed in the very hall it depicts, offering viewers a historical glimpse of the museum’s interior and its role as a site of artistic practice.