Exhibition: Dennis H Osborne Artist - An Appreciation

Exhibition: Dennis H Osborne Artist – An Appreciation

Exhibition: Dennis H Osborne Artist – An Appreciation

The Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum’s new exhibition: Dennis H Osborne (1919-2016) Artist: An Appreciation features over 30 paintings and sketches from both the museum’s extensive Osborne collection, and a number of generous private donors and collections.  A resident of Lisburn for over 20 years, Osborne painted iconic views of the town, capturing its historic character, before urban development in the 1970s swept much of it away.  The exhibition is open Monday to Saturday, 9.30-5pm.  Free entry.

About the Artist: Dennis H Osborne (1919-2016)

Born in Portsmouth, England, Dennis Henry Osborne served in WWII with the Royal Artillery.  He was rescued from Dunkirk in 1940 and later served in North Africa where he was taken prisoner.  Having escaped from an Italian POW camp, he spent six months on the run in the Dolomites before recapture and imprisonment in a stalag in Poland.  There he spent his free time sketching.

After the War, Osborne pursued his passion for art, studying in London, and exhibiting his work at the prestigious Royal Academy.  He married the Larne-born painter Jean Meikle (1926-65) before emigrating to Canada in 1952.  His paintings were displayed in a number of exhibitions there and in the United States.

Returning to Northern Ireland in 1959, Osborne worked at Portadown Technical College, before moving to Lisburn in 1964 to take up the post of Head of Art at Lisnagarvey High School.  Here he met his second wife Maureen.

Following retirement in 1983, Osborne lived and painted in Newtownards.  He died in May 2016.

He produced a number of iconic views of old Lisburn, including Castle Street, Stannus Place, Piper’s Hill, Quay Street, as well as a self portrait, and sketch of Alderman Samuel Semple.

*Opened in January 2017, the exhibition expanded from 7 paintings to over 30 in March and April 2017.  From May 2017 onwards, and due to popular demand, the museum’s own collection of Osborne paintings will continue to be display.*

For exhibition opening times, see: https://www.lisburnmuseum.com/whats-on-events/

 

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