Located in the recently created Print Room, this exhibition consists of 50 works from the gallery's collection, ranging from the mid-18th century to - well, not exactly to the present, but to fairly recent decades. Some are frankly linear, detailed and illustrational, some (such as the Whistler nocturne of a London street) are little more than a few shapes emerging eloquently from enveloping fog; and there are some real surprises, such as the fine Nolde, painted on his favourite North German coastline with its vast, arching skies.
This exhibition is virtually a condensed history or survey of watercolour art in general, particularly as it developed in its real homeland, England. With artists such as Paul Sandby it began to cut loose from topography and description and gain an autonomous life, blossoming into the golden era of Girtin, Cotman (not represented, alas), Cox, de Wint etc.
There is also a fine view of the Bay of Naples by Cozens, and Malton's view of St Patrick's Cathedral is something more than mere linear illustration. And a London dockside scene by Rowlandson has a real Hogarthian gusto and rowdiness.
Andrew Nicholl, from Ulster, is here with a good study of a tree-lined road, and there is a typical view of Clonmacnoise by Petrie. Cattermole is one of the best of the Victorians, while with Charles Altamont Doyle (grandfather of Conan Doyle) we step into high-quality illustration, almost cartoon art. Very different are a superb small beach scene by Mauve (cousin and briefly teacher of van Gogh) and the aforementioned Whistler work.
Jack Yeats is represented by an early (1905) piece showing villagers broaching (illegally) a barnacle-crusted barrel of rum which had been washed ashore - a genuine page out of Somerville and Ross, and an interesting choice, considering the wealth of his works the gallery possesses.
Though limited in numbers, this is an exhibition which really does offer something to virtually everybody, and there is a neat and useful catalogue for £3.
Until December 8th.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SJQTLMCMMRC2PLALXUKEWWS6HU.png)