Gerard Dillon
, Irish, 1916-1971
Title
A Self-Portrait with Pierrot and NudeDate1960s
MediumOil on board
Dimensions
22 x 18 cm
Signedlower right: Gerard Dillon
Credit LinePurchased, 1972
Object numberNGI.4042
Label TextLargely self-taught, Gerard Dillon was an independent character, who developed a distinctive, and deceptively sophisticated style of painting. The death in their fifties of three of his brothers left Dillon preoccupied with his own mortality. In response, he introduced the rather ominous figure of a pierrot into several paintings of the 1960s. This can be interpreted as his alter ego. In this enigmatic self-portrait, a reflection on life and legacy, one such figure attends a number of canvases, including a painting of a reclining nude.