Speaker: Grace Cantillon
Talk Title: From Charleville to Caravaggio and Beyond
Talk Synopsis:
Grace Cantillon will explore and reveal to the audience, “The Life of Dr. Monica Lea-Wilson”. Hers is not a household name; but ought to be because, thanks to her, the National Gallery of Ireland now has a painting by Caravaggio. Grace will reveal how the intertwined lives of Marie Monica Ryan of Charleville, later becoming Dr. Monica Lea-Wilson, and her husband, Capt. Percival Lea-Wilson, led to their painting being revealed, to an astounded art world, to be the “lost” Caravaggio entitled The Taking of Christ. This promises to be a fascinating Talk with references to the renowned Harry Clarke, the stained-glass artist; Michael Collins, Irish Revolutionary, Soldier & Politician; Fr. Thomas Finlay SJ; and others of that era.
About the Speaker:
Also known as Grace O’Malley Cantillon, she was born in Limerick in 1934. After boarding schools, and a Degree in Languages, Grace worked in the Archives Department in U.C.D. In 1958, Grace married George Cantillon, a Surgeon in Limerick. She lectured in Moylish College, now Limerick Institute of Technology. Later; Grace joined The Hunt Museum as a Docent in 1990. An M.A in Art History at University of Limerick followed in 2004, and her book about the Round House O’Malleys in 2014. It is fair to say that Grace believes in Lifelong Learning.
Venue: Cultúrlann Sweeney, O’Connell St., Kilkee
When: Wednesday 11th July at 8pm