Chester Beatty Library collection

Like I had stated in my post MOMAT presents Francis Bacon, I have been trying to check out various art museums not only in California but world wide. During a recent search, I had stumbled across a listing of museums and galleries in Ireland which I promptly explored. One location caught my eye which was presenting 30 selected paintings that belonged to the same man that had the location named after him. So who was this Chester Beatty, why did he have a library named after him and why did he have paintings by Jules Adolphe Aimé Louis Breton and Eugéne Fromentin in his collection?

Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968) was actually American born and graduated Columbia University as a mining engineer. Making his fortune on copper mining in the US and in various locations world wide, he was also an art collector. Naturalized British in 1933 (knighted in 1954) and honorary citizen in Ireland in 1957, Beatty started gifting his art to Ireland sometime after 1950.

After glancing through other information I could find on Sir Beatty, it made much more sense that there is a Chester Beatty Library and why they're having some of his collected pieces on display from September 7, 2012 to August 31, 2013. Now if anyone who was wondering why I was a bit surprised by painters Jules Adolphe Aimé Louis Breton (1827-1906) and Eugéne Fromentin (1820-1876) is because they were part of some of the most well known painters of their time. Breton is known for his pieces depicting peasant female figures which was rather popular in the United States while Fromentin's paintings depicted exotic Arabian scenes. More then likely the paintings that are being put on display will be mostly from various masters of the mid to late 1800s but unfortunately the page announcing the show does not have a list of which painters are in the collection. 

If you're going to be in Ireland at any point before August and are interested in seeing this collection, here's the information:

Chester Beatty Library
Dublin Castle 
Dublin 2
Ireland

Telephone: (+353 1) 407 0750
Fax: (+353 1) 407 0760

Please Note: Due to Ireland's hosting of the EU Presidency 1 January to 30 June, 2013, access to the Library may be restricted from time to time. 

The Palace St. gate (off Dame St.) will be closed on Wednesday 13th February so access to the Library will be via the Ship St. gate of Dublin Castle. 

Opening Hours
1 May to 30 September: Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM
1 October to 30 April: Tuesday to Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday, 11 AM to 5 PM (All year) 
Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM (All year) 
Closed 1 January; Good Friday; 24, 25 and 26 December; and Monday public holidays 

ADMISSION IS FREE