Men of Destiny is a painting by Irish artist Jack Butler Yeats, painted in 1946. An oil artwork on canvas, the modernist piece is noted for the strength and vibrancy of its colour palette and is considered to rank amongst Yeats' best work.[1][2][3][4] The painting is on permanent display at the National Gallery of Ireland.
| Men of Destiny | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Jack Butler Yeats |
| Year | 1946 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 51 cm × 69 cm (20 in × 27 in) |
| Location | National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin |
Subject and title
editThe painting depicts three fishermen securing a boat at Rosses Point in Sligo, in the west of Ireland.[2][5] Painted in the period between the Easter Rising and the Republic of Ireland Act 1948, it has been suggested that the title could refer to the destiny of ordinary men, like the fishermen shown, to defend Irish freedom.[4][6][7]
The phrase "Men of Destiny" has also been used as a translation of the Irish Fianna Fáil (more commonly "Soldiers of Destiny"), which was the Irish name for the Irish Volunteers (as well as featuring in the Irish national anthem and as the name of an Irish potlical party).[8][9][10]
Media
editBooks
editMen of Destiny is used as the cover image for "The Only Art of Jack B. Yeats: Letters and Essays", published by Lilliput Press in 2009.[11]
Exhibitions
editWhile normally on display in the National Gallery, Men of Destiny featured in the exhibition "Jack B. Yeats: The Outsider" in 2011, which ran in Sligo town from February 6–June 12.[12][13]
Examinations
editA question about the painting appeared on the Irish Leaving Certificate Art examination paper in 2006 for ordinary level students, under the "Art in Ireland" section.[14]
References
edit- ^ "The six of them - Art & design - Times Higher Education". timeshighereducation.co.uk. 1997-08-28. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ a b "WB Yeats Society of New York - PAINTING 'THE GINGER OF LIFE': A LAUREL FOR JACK B. YEATS (1871 – 1957)". yeatssociety.org. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "Men of Destiny". www.nationalgallery.ie. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2011-10-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Pyle, H. (1989). Jack B. Yeats: A Biography. Barnes & Noble Books. p. 163. ISBN 9780389208921. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "Men of Destiny". www.nationalgallery.ie. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ Tom Higgins (7 November 2008). "Looking and responding to art in the primary school" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "Eamon de Valera - Fianna Fáil". fiannafail.ie. Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ Hallett, George H. (1954). "Proportional representation". National Municipal Review. 43 (7): 364–367. doi:10.1002/ncr.4110430711.
- ^ "IRELAND: Down Dev - TIME". Time. 1954-05-31. Archived from the original on November 16, 2010. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "The Lilliput Press". lilliputpress.ie. Archived from the original on 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "Rare Yeats works to be put on display - Independent.ie". sligochampion.ie. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "The Model / Jack B. Yeats The Outsider". themodel.ie. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ Deirdre Halligan (3 March 2006). "LEAVING CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION, 2006 - ART History and Appreciation of Art Ordinary Level" (PDF). Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit State Examinations Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
