Henry stands alone as the most influential landscapist to work in Ireland in the twentieth century.
In this generously illustrated biography, S. B. Kennedy tells the story of Henry' s life and artistic achievements, interweaves the life of his highly talented wife Grace, and explores his friendships and associations in the artistic worlds of Paris, London, Dublin, and Belfast. Transfixed by the landscape, the people of the island, and their way of life, Henry thereafter devoted his career to painting Irish life and landscape, introducing a degree of realism that was new to Irish painting. In addition, the author sets Henry' s work in historical context and considers the reasons for renewed interest in Henry' s landscape paintings in recent years. This is a highly important contribution to Irish art. In his idyllic landscape paintings of the west of Ireland, Paul Henry provided the quintessential view of the Irish scene.