Sir Hugh Lane (1875-1915)

Part of the Irish Archive

Description

Hugh Percy Lane was born 09 November 1875 in Ballybrack, Co. Cork. His mother, Adelaide Lane neé Persse, was from an old Protestant family of Roxborough House, Co. Galway. His father, Rev. James William Lane, came from wealthy merchants in co cork. He had four brothers and one sister, and lived in York and then Cornwall for during his early life. His parents’ marriage was strained and he would frequently travel with his mother as a child. Lane did not have much formal education; however, his interest in fine arts led him to become an apprenticed restorer in Plymouth for a short time. In 1893, Lane was apprenticed to Martin Colnaghi, owner of Marlborough Gallery in London who was an art dealer. He specialised in Old Masters and Barbizon School. After a year Lane began his own business, and bought and sold art. From 1895 to 1899, Lane travelled across Europe and visited galleries and museums to expand on his knowledge of art works. He became very successful, and soon was interested in artists such as Manet, Pissarro and Sisley in addition to Old Masters. In 1900, Lane stayed with his aunt Lady Gregory where he met many Irish artists and writers. Lane soon became interested in Irish art and the promotion of art in Ireland. He had gathered Irish artwork for the St Louis world Fair in 1904 but it unfortunately did not go ahead. He exhibited the artworks instead in London, where the idea for a gallery for modern art was formulated. The following November, he organised an exhibition in the RHA with his collection, the collection of the late James Staat-Forbes and some impressionist artworks from Paul Durend-Reul. Lane put together the Modern Art Gallery Committee. The establishment of the Municipal Gallery for Modern Art in Dublin was a difficult task. Finding a location was challenging and in 1906, Lane agreed to give a gift of a large collection of 114 artworks if a suitable building was found within 2 months. It would take 2 years for Harcourt St to be given as a building in 1908, but it was obvious a purpose built gallery would be needed. Dublin Corporation agreed to pay £500 annually for upkeep of the gallery, though due to various legal issues, this money was unavailable for the first few years. Lane and others would foot the bill during this time. Lane continuously added to his conditional gift. Hugh Lane helped in the establishment of galleries in Johannesburg and in Cape Town, as well as exhibitions in in Belfast and England. In 1912, Hugh Lane officially handed over his paintings known as The Lane Gift to the town clerk of Dublin on conditional that they always be on view free to the public. By 1913, his frustrations with Dublin Corporation mounted as there were many obstacles to a building a suitable gallery for the collection such as lack of funding and location. Lane wished for Edwin Lutyens to design a gallery spanning the river Liffey, and through many fundraising efforts and patrons, a portion of the required money was donated. Lane’s other collection, known as the Lane Collection whoch contained many impressionist works, was removed from view buy the end of January 1913 as the Dublin Corporation refused Lutyen’s design. He gave the pictures to London to form a gallery of modern art there. Lane enjoyed hosting teas, travelling across Europe and riding in his motor car. He lived in London and travelled frequently between there and Dublin. Lane was selected to the National Gallery of Ireland Board in 1903, was given a Knighthood in 1909 and was elected as Director of the National Gallery of Ireland in 1914. Lane never married, though was briefly engaged to Lady Clare in the summer of 1911. In 1915, Lane went to New York on business and returned on the ship, Lusitania. It was torpedoed off the coast of Cork and Lane’s body was never recovered. After his death, a codicil he had written before his trip abroad was found. It stated that the pictures he had given to London should be brought back to Dublin, and given to the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art. That a gallery must be created within 5 years of his death and the pictures should always be on view. This amendment was deemed not legal, as no one had witnessed the document. This resulted in many years of dispute, until 1959 when the National Gallery in London and the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art in Dublin agreed that the paintings should alternate between them. In 1933, The Municipal Gallery was given Charlemount House was it is today, and the gallery was renamed The Hugh Lane. Collection contains 13 boxes of letters bought from Anne Chisholm in 2019 through Whyte's Auctioneers.

Creator

Lane, Sir Hugh

Show collection items

Related topics

Lane, Sir Hugh