1st Edition
The Writings of James Barry and the Genre of History Painting, 1775–1809
By Liam Lenihan
Copyright 2014
220 Pages
by
Routledge
218 Pages
by
Routledge
Examining the literary career of the eighteenth-century Irish painter James Barry, 1741-1806 through an interdisciplinary methodology, The Writings of James Barry and the Genre of History Painting, 1775-1809 is the first full-length study of the artist’s writings. Liam Lenihan critically assesses the artist’s own aesthetic philosophy about painting and printmaking, and reveals the extent to which... Read more
Contents: Introduction: James Barry’s writings and the genre of history painting; Barry’s Inquiry into public taste; The Progress of Human Culture as a narrative of enlightenment; Barry’s Lectures on Painting and the Royal Academy of Arts; Wollstonecraft’s reading of Milton and the sublime of Barry, Fuseli and Blake; Barry’s Self-Portrait as Timanthes and his tenure as professor of painting; Conclusion: history painting as a ‘union of talents’; Works cited; Index.
Biography
Liam Lenihan was National University of Ireland Centennial Postdoctoral Fellow in Irish Studies from 2009 to 2011. He teaches English literature and History of Art at University College Cork.
'... his book is, overall, level-headed, incisive and challenging. As far as this reader is concerned, the most stimulating aspect of the challenge relates to Barry’s contemporary relevance.' Irish Times '[Lenihan] considers the connections between Barry's writing and art, and the cultural and political issues that were dominant at this time. The work undertaken by Liam Lenihan shows us that barry remains of constant interest.' William Shipley Group Newsletter
