The Gift of Knowledge: Enriching the Library and Archive Collections celebrates how donations have greatly enriched the National Gallery and its research facilities. All of the items on display have been presented over the years by individuals who recognise the cultural and educational importance of libraries and archives in contributing to our knowledge of art and artists, culture and heritage. The display features material from the Centre for the Study of Irish Art, the Yeats Archive and highlights the recent gift of Sir Denis Mahon’s library and archive.

Among the more notable gifts to the CSIA archive include a collection of Frederic William Burton’s papers; letters associated with Martin Cregan; substantial archives relating to Aloysius O’Kelly and William Crampton Gore; and photographs and ephemera relating to Augustus Burke and the sculptor Andrew O’Connor.

These collections are an essential resource for anyone interested in Irish art and many of the archives have been used by researchers and historians to enrich our understanding of the development of the visual arts in this country.