The Irish nation and the British Empire: display at the 1853 Exhibition

The central theme of this paper by Fintan Cullen, Professor Emeritus in the History of Art, University of Nottingham, is an examination of the tensions between a growing Irish nationalism and seeing the 1853 Exhibition as a celebration of Ireland’s place in the British Empire. Beginning with a description of what one saw on visiting the Exhibition on Leinster Lawn: from the abundance of flags, banners, statuary, portraiture and music, the talk will go on to explore the juxtapositions of portraits of Irish personalities such as Daniel O’Connell and innumerable images of royalty. The positive hopes and expectations placed on the Exhibition will be compared with the imperial legacy of the whole affair