The Ulster Museum is celebrating a significant enhancement to its renowned Irish art collection with the unveiling of ‘A Time of Gifts’, a new display showcasing major acquisitions of works by two of Ireland’s most celebrated artists; Sir John Lavery (1856–1941) and Sir William Orpen (1878–1931).
Irish art has always been at the heart of the Ulster Museum’s collection, and these new works – paintings and works on paper – enrich one of its best-loved strengths. The display sets these acquisitions within the context of the Museum’s outstanding holdings of Irish art, illustrating how collections flourish through evolution and development.
The works have been accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax from the estate of Mary Hobart, part of the collection of Alan and Mary Hobart, and were allocated to the Ulster Museum in 2025. The offer in lieu was negotiated with the support of the Heritage and Taxation team at Christie’s.
Mary Hobart, together with her husband Alan, founded the Pyms Gallery, London, which specialised in Irish art. This allocation includes major works by Lavery and Orpen, two of the leading figures in Irish art. Lavery, born in Belfast, donated thirty-four paintings to the newly opened Belfast Art Gallery in 1929 – now the Ulster Museum. Orpen, born in Dublin, maintained close ties with Ireland and returned to teach in Dublin, influencing a younger generation of Irish painters, many of whom were women and are represented in the Ulster Museum’s collection.
Central to ‘A Time of Gifts’ is a small study by Lavery, Sketch of the House of Lords in Session, 15 December 1921. From early in his career, Lavery perfected the oil sketch as a means of rapidly recording a scene or event. This painting records the packed chamber of the House of Lords during the debate which followed the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, on 6th December 1921, establishing the Irish Free State.
Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive of National Museums NI, says, “It is always a cause of celebration when new acquisitions are unveiled. This gift greatly enhances the Ulster Museum collection of Irish art. We are very grateful to Arts Council England for this allocation from the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme.”
She added, “Our Irish art collection is much-loved and a favourite for so many of our visitors. We are so excited for the opportunity, for all our visitors, to see and enjoy the work of two of Ireland’s most celebrated artists here in Belfast.”
The UK Government’s Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) scheme enables pre-eminent works of art to be accepted in lieu of inheritance tax and allocated to UK museums and galleries, ensuring their preservation for public benefit. The Acceptance in Lieu Scheme is administered by Arts Council England.
Michael Clarke CBE, Chair of the Acceptance in Lieu Panel, said: “Some of the most rewarding Acceptance in Lieu allocations combine creative excellence with a strong sense of place and history. These works, from Mary and Alan Hobart’s collection, spotlight two leading Irish artists portraying events of great significance; be it Lavery’s depiction of the crowded House of Lords after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, or Orpen’s illustration of the devastation caused by the Great War. I am delighted these works will join the Ulster Museum’s outstanding collection of Irish art.”
