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© National Gallery of Ireland
, Irish
Title
Portrait of Mo Mowlam (1949-2005)
Date2004
MediumWatercolour on paper
Dimensions
100 x 70 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 2019
Object numberNGI.2019.222
DescriptionÁine Divine’s portrait of Mo Mowlam, a key figure in the Northern Ireland peace process, skilfully captures both the strength and fragility of the unconventional Labour politician. The artist’s characteristic style, which combines loose areas of wash with detailed passages delineating the facial features, seems to have brought something of the essence of the sitter to paper. Áine Divine painted Mowlam alongside two other selected artists in a grand light-filled room in Stormont Castle with camera crews in attendance, for a BBC TV programme ‘Star Portraits’ (2004). After the initial sitting the artists had two weeks to complete the portrait. Mo Mowlam’s relaxed pose and clear gaze indicates that she was comfortable in the artist’s presence.