Portrait captures a pensive playwright

A PENSIVE Brian Friel, with his eyes facing down and fingers steepled over his mouth, was captured in a portrait unveiled at the National Gallery yesterday.

The painting was commissioned to mark the playwright’s 80th birthday as part of the gallery’s contemporary portrait series.

The 81-year-old sat for some eight hours over two days, artist Mick O’Dea said.“I decided to keep it domestic and the emphasis was on the private man rather than the public man, hence the more introverted contemplative aspect rather than the public persona,” he said.

Friel saw the finished painting for the first time yesterday, having seen it through each stage in the process. He clapped and smiled as it was unveiled but did not make a speech or speak to the media.

“He hasn’t overtly said but I think he is; and his wife is pleased,” O’Dea said.

The portrait “captured the essence of the character of Brian Friel” Minister for Arts Mary Hanafin said. The painter had to capture not only the man but what the rest of us thought he looked like, she said.

Future generations would come to the gallery to appreciate the portrait and discuss Friel’s contribution to Ireland.

Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, Michael Colgan of the Gate Theatre and Fiach Mac Conghail of the Abbey Theatre were among the well-known figures from the world of arts, literature and theatre who were at the unveiling.

Gay Byrne, one of the six other people to have a portrait commissioned for the gallery’s series, was heard to call the work “splendid”. Friel’s wife, son, and grandson were among those also present.

The Dublin gallery’s portrait collection has been taken down while the Dargan Wing undergoes repair. For this reason the painting will instead go on public display in the Millennium Wing tomorrow.