Afternoon Sleep by William Orpen
Major General Sir F.O.W. Loomis, KCB, CMG, DSO, and Bar by William Orpen
Sir John Rutherford (1854–1932) by William Orpen
Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Currie, GCMG, KCB by William Orpen
An Eastern Gown by William Orpen
A Canadian Airman (Captain R. T. C. Hoidge, The Military Cross and Bar) by William Orpen
Lieutenant-General Archibald Cameron Macdonell by William Orpen
Major General Sir Henry Burstall, KCB, CMG by William Orpen

Where to See William Orpen

43 museums worldwide

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About William Orpen

British · 1878–1931 · Impressionism, Modernism, Realism

winning every art prize by twelve, becoming Britain's highest-paid portraitist, donating 138 war paintings to the nation, and fading to obscurity until a two-million-pound sale in 2001

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William Orpen's works are held in 43 museums worldwide, including Imperial War Museums, National Portrait Gallery, and National Gallery of Ireland.

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🇦🇺 Australia

2 museums

🇨🇦 Canada

2 museums

🇫🇷 France

1 museum

🇮🇪 Ireland

1 museum

🇸🇪 Sweden

1 museum

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

26 museums

🇺🇸 United States

10 museums

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where can I see William Orpen's work?
    You can find works by William Orpen in a number of public collections. In the United Kingdom, these include the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum; the Ulster Museum, Belfast; the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham; Bradford Museums and Art Galleries; Bristol Art Gallery; the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh; the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum; the Hull University Art Collection; the Ipswich Museum; the Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery; Leeds City Art Gallery; the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool; the Courtauld Institute Galleries, London; the Guildhall Art Gallery, London; the National Gallery, London; the National Portrait Gallery, London; the Tate Gallery, London; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; the Manchester City Art Gallery; the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; the Central Museum and Art Gallery, Northampton; the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery; the Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield; and the Southampton Art Gallery. Outside the UK, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris holds Orpen's painting *The Café Royal in London*.
  • What should I know about William Orpen's prints?
    When considering William Orpen's prints, it is useful to understand some basic printmaking terminology. An original print is conceived as a print, and executed solely as a print. Each impression in the edition is an original, made from a plate or other matrix. There is no single original from which copies are made. The artist decides the number of prints in the edition. A reproduction is a copy of a work of art that originated in another medium, such as painting or watercolour. Reproductions are usually made by photomechanical means. Numbering and signing a reproduction does not make it an original print. The edition claim is usually written as a pair of numbers on the lower left margin of the print. It consists of the print number and the edition number. The title of the print is written in the middle of the bottom margin, and the signature is on the right. These descriptions are always signed in pencil. Since 1890, photographic halftone illustrations and other commercial print technology have made it possible to produce high-quality reproductions of images existing in another form. This has sometimes led to confusion in the marketplace.
  • Why are William Orpen's works important today?
    William Orpen (1878-1931) was a painter known for his portraits and his work as a war artist during the First World War. His art provides insight into British society and the experience of war in the early 20th century. Orpen's portraits offer a glimpse into the lives of prominent figures of his time. He painted politicians, celebrities, and members of the upper class, capturing their likenesses and, arguably, their personalities. These portraits are valuable historical documents. His war art is particularly significant. Commissioned as an official war artist, Orpen documented the conflict on the Western Front. Unlike some war artists who focused on heroism, Orpen often depicted the grim reality of trench warfare and its aftermath. Paintings like "Dead Germans in a Trench" (1918) offer a stark, unflinching view of the war's brutality. He also created works depicting the Paris Peace Conference, capturing the atmosphere of political negotiation and the weight of decisions made there. Orpen's diverse subject matter, from high-society portraits to scenes of war, makes his work a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of his era. His technical skill and artistic vision continue to be appreciated by art historians and enthusiasts.
  • What techniques or materials did William Orpen use?
    William Orpen was a prolific artist who worked primarily in oils. However, he was also an accomplished draughtsman, creating numerous sketches and drawings throughout his career. Like many artists of his time, Orpen would have used commercially prepared canvases. Some artists chose heavy canvases to preserve their texture, applying thin grounds. Others preferred fine canvas, which they glue-lined onto a coarser one to imitate the appearance of Old Master paintings. The ground layer was important. Some artists favoured smooth white grounds to create intense colour; others applied a light grey imprimatura of oil paint on top of the ground, allowing them to paint directly in a mid-ground technique. After 1871, darker greys were used to develop full chiaroscuro effects. To achieve the desired consistency, artists mixed their oil paint with turpentine and mastic varnish, creating a "sauce" that could be brushed freely. The paint was worked wet-in-wet, scraped, rubbed, and dragged across the surface. Highlights were applied as the final details.
  • Who did William Orpen influence?
    William Orpen (born in Ireland, 1878-1931) studied at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, and then at the Slade. From 1902, he ran the Chelsea Art School, a private teaching studio, with Augustus John. He joined the New English Art Club (NEAC) in 1900. In 1904, Orpen was elected an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy (ARHA), and a full member (RHA) in 1908. He became a founder member of the National Portrait Society, and was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in 1919, becoming a full member (RA) in 1921. Orpen had the skill to use whatever painting style was currently in fashion. His response to Impressionist pictures is recorded in several paintings; for example, Homage to Manet (1909, Manchester City Art Gallery). His painting Sunlight (circa 1912) can be interpreted as a response to Post-Impressionism. Orpen also painted conversation pieces, a type of group portrait where the sitters are engaged in some everyday occupation. One of the most famous of these is his The Café Royal in London (1912).
  • Who influenced William Orpen?
    William Orpen studied at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, and then at the Slade. In 1902, he established the Chelsea Art School, a private teaching studio, with Augustus John. Orpen's artistic style demonstrates an awareness of contemporary trends. His 1909 painting, Homage to Manet, references Édouard Manet. The Hugh Lane collection of Impressionist pictures influenced him, and the lemon yellows and purples of his c.1912 work, Sunlight, can be seen as a response to Post-Impressionism. The painting even includes a Monet on the wall behind the model. His 1912 painting, The Café Royal in London, shows Orpen with fellow artists William Nicholson, James Pryde, and Alfred Rich. Orpen specialised in 'conversation pieces', a type of group portrait showing the sitters engaged in some everyday activity.
  • What is William Orpen's most famous work?
    William Orpen was a successful society portraitist, admired for his confident style and precise technique. He specialised in conversation pieces, a type of group portrait showing the sitters engaged in everyday occupations. One of his most noted works is *The Café Royal in London*, completed in 1912. It depicts Orpen and his artist friends, including William Nicholson, James Pryde, and Alfred Rich, within the fashionable Café Royal. The painting captures the stiff demeanour and elegant dress of the Edwardian era, giving a sense of formal bohemianism. Orpen offsets this stiffness by depicting two figures chatting casually. Another important work is *Homage to Manet* (1909, Manchester City Art Gallery). Orpen's skill allowed him to adapt to current styles. His *Sunlight* (circa 1912, National Gallery of Ireland) shows the influence of Post-Impressionism, with lemon yellows and purples reminiscent of Monet. The painting depicts a nude model in sunlight, with a Monet artwork visible on the wall behind her.
  • What style or movement did William Orpen belong to?
    William Orpen (born in Ireland, 1878; died in 1931) possessed the skill to adopt whatever painting style was fashionable at the time. He studied at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, then at the Slade. From 1902, he ran the Chelsea Art School, a private teaching studio, with Augustus John. Orpen's artistic output shows the influence of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. His response to Impressionist pictures in the Hugh Lane collection is recorded in several paintings; for example, *Homage to Manet* (1909, Manchester City Art Gallery). His painting *Sunlight* (circa 1912) uses lemon yellows outlined and contrasted with purple, which can be interpreted as a response to Post-Impressionism. He was a member of the New English Art Club in 1900. In 1904, Orpen was elected an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy, and a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1908. He became a founder member of the National Portrait Society. Orpen was known as a society portraitist, and he captured the Edwardian character of his sitters with a confident style and precise technique. He specialised in 'conversation pieces', a type of group portrait showing the sitters engaged in some everyday occupation.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of William Orpen's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] museum Canadian War Museum Used for: museum holdings.
  2. [2] museum Beecroft Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
  3. [3] museum McLean Museum and Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
  4. [4] museum Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
  5. [5] academic The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Sir William Orpen | Irish Artist, Portraitist, War Artist Used for: biography.
  6. [6] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
  7. [7] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
  8. [8] book Post-impressionism : cross-currents in European painting Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
  9. [9] museum Sir William Orpen 1878–1931 Used for: biography.
  10. [10] museum 'The Mirror', Sir William Orpen, 1900 Used for: museum holdings.
  11. [11] museum William Orpen - Self-Portrait Used for: notable works.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-30. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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