RichardT.Moynan Richard T. Moynan was an Irish portrait and figure painter of the nineteenth century. He excelled in portraying the lives of the poor and used the children of the streets as models.
This painting Military Manoeuvres below, shows Leixlip in Co Kildare, painted exactly as it was in 1891, apart from the church spire, which the artist added to make it more interesting.
This painting is important because it shows how people lived in the nineteenth century. Look closely at the painting to see how children dressed in Ireland over 100 years ago.
Military Manoeuvres
1. Pictures that tell stories are called narratives. In Military Manoeuvresthe boys are pretending to be an army band. Can you see who they are making fun of?
2. Girls and older people have stopped to watch the fun. You can see the grocer looking out of his shop window. If you were to put speech bubbles on the painting above, what would each person say?
3. There are lots of musical instruments in this painting. Some of them are real and some are pretend. Name them.