Louis Le Brocquy
1916 – 2012
BIO
Le Brocquy was a seminal Irish painter best known for his Cubist-like depictions of figures. Many of Le Brocquy’s worksare reminiscent of Pablo Picasso’s late works. Born on November 10, 1916 in Dublin, Ireland, he studied chemistry at Trinity College before working at his family’s oil refinery. Turning to art at the age of 21, he learned through studying the works of Diego Velázquez, Édouard Manet, and Paul Cézanne, in various museums across Europe. Returning to Ireland due to the outbreak of World War II, the artist focused his attention on depicting themes from Celtic mythology as well as individuals of Ireland’s tinker ethnic minority. In 1956, he represented Ireland in the Venice Biennale. His oeuvre gradually evolved to include stylized paintings of the heads of noted figures, including James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Francis Bacon. The artist died on April 25, 2012 in Dublin, Ireland. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Tate Gallery in London, the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin, and the San Diego Museum of Art, among others.