Figure 32.1 The Banks of the Seine, 1882, by Nathaniel Hone, oil on canvas, 62 x 100 cm, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.
travelled abroad. He exhibited at the RHA and became a member of the academy in 1880. The Banks of the Seine was exhibited there in 1882.
In his later life, Hone lived on the family estate in Malahide, where he found the subject matter for most of his work: landscapes, seascapes, boats and farming activities. He also taught at the RHA where he was an influence on a generation of Irish painters.
Pastures at Malahide
Composition and Colour A simple series of horizontal lines separate the land and sky. Low diagonals lead the eye from the
nearest cow to the left of the horizon, then back up through the cloud shadow to the right of the format, emphasising the sense of space in the painting.
Hone uses subtle, natural colours, often featuring the light and shade typical of the Irish climate. The dark green of the pasture contrasts with the bright light on the clouds. The eye is drawn to the yellow ochre in the far background through the pale highlights of the cows.
Style and Technique
Hone’s mature work was in the plein air style that he had learned in France: simple landscapes, freely
Figure 32.2 Pastures at Malahide, 1907, by Nathaniel Hone, oil on canvas, 82 × 124 cm, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.
