Editing Irish art (section)

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[[File:KellsFol032vChristEnthroned.jpg|thumb|''Christ Enthroned'' from the [[Book of Kells]] (9th century)]]
'''Irish art''' is art produced in the island of Ireland, and by artists from Ireland. The term normally includes Irish-born artists as well as expatriates settled in Ireland.  Its history starts around 3200 BC with [[Neolithic]] [[petroglyph|stone carvings]] at the [[Newgrange]] megalithic tomb, part of the [[Brú na Bóinne]] complex which still stands today, County Meath. In early-[[Prehistoric Ireland#Copper and Bronze Ages (2500–500 BC)|Bronze Age Ireland]] there is evidence of [[Beaker culture]] and widespread metalworking. Trade-links with Britain and Northern Europe introduced [[La Tène culture]] and [[Celtic art]] to Ireland by about 300 BC, but while these styles later changed or disappeared elsewhere under Roman subjugation, Ireland was left alone to develop Celtic designs: notably [[Celtic cross]]es, [[Triple spiral|spiral designs]], and the intricate [[Interlace (art)|interlaced]] patterns of [[Celtic knot]]work.
[[File:Blessington lunula.BM.WG.31 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Gold lunula]] from [[Blessington]], Ireland, Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, c. 2400 BC – 2000 BC, Classical group]]

The [[Christianization of Ireland]] in the fifth century AD saw the establishment of monasteries, which acted as centres of scholarship and artistic production, and led to the flowering of the [[Insular art]] style with its highly decorative [[Insular illumination|illuminated manuscripts]], metalwork and stonework ([[High cross]]es). From around 1200 to 1700, however, Irish art was relatively stagnant, and Irish culture was left comparatively untouched by the influence of [[Renaissance art]].

From the late 17th century, artists in the general contemporary styles of European [[fine art]] began to emerge, particularly the painting of portraiture and landscapes. The early 18th century saw increased prosperity and establishment of new cultural institutions including the [[Royal Dublin Society]] (1731) and [[Royal Irish Academy]] (1785). With a small pool of patrons and better opportunities to be found abroad, many Irish artists emigrated, especially to London (portraitists) or Paris (landscapists), which stifled the nascent indigenous scene.

By the start of the 20th century, things began to improve. Opportunities began to spring up at home; the [[Celtic Revival]] movement saw a renewed interest in aspects of Celtic culture, [[Hugh Lane]] established the [[Hugh Lane Gallery|Municipal Gallery of Modern Art]], the first public gallery of its kind in the world, and with increased patronage a new generation of homegrown talent and returning emigres gradually formed a solid basis for the regrowth of art in Ireland.  The foundation of an independent Irish State in the early 1920s did not significantly alter the state of Ireland's visual arts; in the years following Independence, the arts establishment (exemplified by the committee of the [[Royal Hibernian Academy]]) was dominated by traditionalists who steadfastly opposed attempts to bring Irish art into line with contemporary European styles. {{Citation needed|date=January 2019}}