William Orpen was born in 1878 and was the youngest of five children. His father ran a successful law practice and two of his brothers joined the family business. However, his mother noticed he had a gift for art when he was very young. In 1891, when he was almost thirteen years old, Orpen went to the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin. He won many prizes for his artwork, and in 1898 he went to study in London.
The Holy Well (1916) by William Orpen (1878-1931)
The Holy Well (1916) by William Orpen (1878-1931) includes classical nude figures, for allegorical purposes, perhaps to suggest the innocence before Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, rather than as a realistic, literal description of a pilgrimage to a holy well. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Ireland
Photo (c) National Gallery of IrelandThe Holy Well (1916) by William Orpen (1878-1931)
Photo (c) National Gallery of Ireland
Photo (c) National Gallery of Ireland
The Holy Well (1916) by William Orpen (1878-1931)
The Holy Well (1916) by William Orpen (1878-1931) includes classical nude figures, for allegorical purposes, perhaps to suggest the innocence before Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, rather than as a realistic, literal description of a pilgrimage to a holy well. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Ireland
Photo (c) National Gallery of IrelandOrpen became one of the most famous portrait artists of the 20th century. He painted many famous people, including the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and Woodrow Wilson. Although he lived in London, he returned often to Ireland for holidays. He also taught at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin and was known as a great teacher.
During the First World War, Orpen was an official war painter. He did many drawings and paintings of soldiers on the Western Front. Most of these paintings are now in the Imperial War Museum in London.
Orpen published two books during his life. The first book was about his early life - 'Stories of Old Ireland and Myself'. The second book was about his time during the First World War - 'An Onlooker in France'. He died in 1931 at the age of 53.