Ellen Duncan (1862–1937), pioneering curator of the Dublin Municipal Gallery 1914–1922

This article expands on the career of Ellen Duncan (1862–1937), art critic, manager of the United Arts Club Dublin, and instigator of two important exhibitions of Post-Impressionist and Modern art held in the club in 1911 and 1912, outlined in the original 2015 essay. It assesses the achievements and challenges of Duncan’s subsequent role as Curator of Dublin Municipal Gallery of Modern Art (1914–1922) in the wake of the untimely death of its founder, Hugh Lane, in 1915. Given the dispute over Lane’s will and his gift of 39 Continental paintings in addition to the changing political climate in Ireland, this was a delicate situation for any curator to handle. Drawing from correspondence in the Hugh Lane Gallery archives, this article offers a preliminary overview of Duncan’s years as Curator of the Municipal Gallery, reassessing her previously overlooked role in the institution at a critical moment in its evolution.