Andrew Nicholl
, Irish, 1804-1886
Title
View of Bray Head and Killiney Bay with Steam TrainDatec.1857
MediumWatercolour and graphite on paper
Dimensions
34 x 50.5 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 2014
Object numberNGI.2014.3
DescriptionThis atmospheric watercolour is typical of Nicholl's mature style. He uses light watercolour washes with scraping out to delineate the clear sky and mossy foreground rock and cattle. The view depicts the rural landscape of south Dublin with the train indicated by a plume of smoke in the middle distance. This watercolour is of significance as it depicts part of the Dublin to Wicklow railway built by engineer William Dargan (1799 -1867), the key figure behind the foundation of the National Gallery of Ireland in 1854. He built most of the line from Harcourt Street to Wicklow and was successively contractor, investor, board member and finally (in 1864) chairman of the railway company.Exhibition HistoryNew Perspectives. Acquisitions 2011 - 2020, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 11 May - 2 August 2021