Wexford Artist Francis Danby Featured in Major National Gallery Exhibition

Works by nineteenth-century Wexford artist Francis Danby (1793–1861) are currently on display as part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s major exhibition William Blake: The Age of Romantic Fantasy, which runs until Sunday 19 July 2026.

The exhibition, a loan from Tate curated in partnership with the National Gallery of Ireland, brings together key works by William Blake alongside paintings and drawings by his contemporaries, offering a look at one of the most visionary periods in Romantic art.

Born in County Wexford in 1793, Danby became a leading figure in Romantic painting and a member of the Bristol School of artists. His dramatic, biblical-inspired works are represented in the exhibition by The Deluge (c.1840), shown in the “Horror and Peril” section. The piece is noted for its powerful scale and atmospheric intensity.

Blake’s work, known for its bold imagination and exploration of creation, destruction and spirituality, is presented throughout the exhibition alongside artists he influenced and was influenced by, highlighting his lasting impact on art and culture.

The exhibition aims to place Blake within a wider artistic context and explore the continuing relevance of Romantic-era ideas in today’s world.