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UID:52@brontebirthplace.com
DTSTART:20260922T183000Z
DTEND:20260922T200000Z
DTSTAMP:20260616T153301Z
URL:https://brontebirthplace.com/events/online-monthly-talk-sibling-rivalr
 y-unpacking-the-art-of-branwell-bronte-with-dr-maebh-oregan/
SUMMARY:Online Monthly Talk: Sibling Rivalry: Unpacking the Art of Branwell
  Brontë with Dr Maebh O’Regan
DESCRIPTION:TITLE OF TALK:      Sibling Rivalry: Unpacking the Art of 
 Branwell Brontë\n\n \n\nSpeaker:   Dr Maebh O’Regan\n\n&nbsp\;\n\nDa
 te:  Tuesday 22 September 2026  via Zoom  at 18.30\n\n&nbsp\;\n\nThis t
 alk will take place exclusively online via zoom\, there is no in person at
 tendence\, a link will be sent out via email prior to the talk. A recordin
 g will be made available for all attendees to watch for a month after the 
 date. Tickets on sale here.\n\n\n\nSynopsis:\n\nDr Maebh O’ Regan’s ta
 lk examines the art of Branwell Brontë\, with special focus on his proces
 s and practice. Collaboration and rivalry were the driving forces behind t
 he Brontë siblings’ creative endeavours\, but given the Victorian const
 ruction of masculinity\, where the male was the breadwinner and\, in every
  way superior to the female\, Branwell had his limitations.\n\nCharlotte w
 as the first member of the Brontë family to achieve success as a visual a
 rtist. In 1834 she had two drawings accepted for the summer exhibition in 
 the Royal Society for Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Leeds\, and these 
 architectural landscapes were displayed in company with the work of such e
 stablished artists as J. M.W. Turner.\n\n1834 was also the year when Emily
  and Anne joined forces creating their first diary paper in visual and ver
 bal format.\n\nBranwell’s initial work in oils\, The Brontë Sister’s 
 Portrait\, also known as The Pillar Portrait\, was painted the same year. 
 It’s first critic\, Mrs Gaskell\, deemed it to be\, ‘not much better t
 han a sign painting as to manipulation\, but the likenesses were admirable
 .’  Much of the negative criticism regarding Branwell’s work derives 
 from a lack of understanding of the materials and methods available to a V
 ictorian artist. However\, The Pillar Portrait continues to be one of the 
 most popular works in the British National Portrait Gallery. This mysterio
 us painting raises many questions around its composition and content. Why 
 did Charlotte deny the existence of The Pillar Portrait\, and why is there
  no mention of this painting in their family correspondence? What prompted
  Arthur Bell Nicholls to remove it from its stretcher and to secrete it on
  top of a wardrobe at his home in Banagher\, Ireland? And finally\, why di
 d the National Portrait Gallery decide not to restore the work before they
  put it on display?\n\nTo address these questions\, it is necessary to exp
 lore Branwell’s artistic journey in light of the pedagogical standards o
 f the day. The visual arts played a significant role in the lives of all o
 f the Brontë children therefore\, it is important to analyse Branwell’s
  artistic output in conjunction with his creative interaction with his sib
 lings.\n\n \n\nDr Maebh O’ Regan’s biography:\n\nDr Maebh O’Regan i
 s an art historian and filmmaker whose career spans research\, teaching\, 
 curation\, and a deep commitment to documenting Irish artistic heritage. A
  graduate of Trinity College Dublin\, she later completed a PhD at the Nat
 ional College of Art and Design on the Irish Impressionist Richard Thomas 
 Moynan\, and has lectured at NCAD since 2000. Her interest in under‑docu
 mented Irish artists led to the publication of Studio Secrets: Art in Kild
 are and the curation of three accompanying exhibitions.\n\nMaebh’s work 
 increasingly explores film as a way of capturing artistic practice and unc
 overing overlooked histories. Her documentaries feature leading Irish arti
 sts and\, more recently\, focus on the significant Irish connections withi
 n the Brontë story. This includes collaborations with Banagher historians
  and craft groups\, films on Arthur Bell Nicholls\, the discovery of the B
 rontë family portrait at Hill House\, and her investigations into Charlot
 te Brontë’s marriage agreement.\n\nShe has presented her research inter
 nationally\, including at the Kilkee Brontë Festival\, and continues to c
 hampion the Irish dimension of the Brontë legacy. Maebh is Vice Chair of 
 the Banagher Brontë Group\, founded in 2023.\n\n\n
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CATEGORIES:Guest Speaker
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