''Men of Destiny'' is a painting by
Irish artist
Jack Butler Yeats, painted in 1946. An oil artwork on canvas, the
modernist piece is noted for the strength and vibrancy of its colour palette and is considered to rank amongst Yeats' best work.
The painting is on permanent display at the
National Gallery of Ireland.
Subject and title
The painting depicts three fishermen securing a boat at
Rosses Point in
Sligo
Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
, in the west of
Ireland.
Painted in the period between the
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...
and the
Republic of Ireland Act 1948, it has been suggested that the title could refer to the destiny of ordinary men, like the fishermen shown, to defend Irish freedom.
The phrase "Men of Destiny" has also been used as a translation of the
Irish ''Fianna Fáil'' (more commonly "Soldiers of Destiny"), which was the Irish name for the
Irish Volunteers (as well as featuring in the
Irish national anthem and as the name of
an Irish potlical party).
Media
Books
''Men of Destiny'' is used as the cover image for "The Only Art of Jack B. Yeats: Letters and Essays", published by Lilliput Press in 2009.
Exhibitions
While normally on display in the National Gallery, ''Men of Destiny'' featured in the exhibition "Jack B. Yeats: The Outsider" in 2011, which ran in Sligo town from February 6–June 12.
Examinations
A question about the painting appeared on the
Irish Leaving Certificate Art examination paper in 2006 for ordinary level students, under the "Art in Ireland" section.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Men of Destiny
1946 paintings
Irish paintings
Expressionist paintings