22 Facts About Richard Orpen

Richard Orpen was an Irish architect, painter, illustrator and designer.

Richard Francis Caulfield Orpen was born on 24 December 1863.

Richard Orpen's parents were Anne and Arthur Herbert Orpen, a solicitor of Oriel, Blackrock, County Dublin.

Richard Orpen was the eldest of four brothers and two sisters.

Richard Orpen died on 27 March 1938 at his home, Coologe, and is buried in Deans Grange Cemetery.

Richard Orpen wanted to pursue painting, but "for family reasons" he became an architect.

Richard Orpen spent 11 years with Thomas Drew, initially as a pupil, and later as a managing assistant from 1885 to 1892.

From around 1884, Richard Orpen attended the annual excursions of the English Architectural Association.

From 1888, Richard Orpen exhibited with the Royal Hibernian Academy, with watercolours and architectural drawings.

Richard Orpen would continue to exhibit with them until 1936.

Richard Orpen collaborated with Percy French on a number of projects, including illustrating Racquetry rhymes and The first lord liftinant and other tales.

Richard Orpen was one of the original members of the Architectural Association of Ireland, serving as its first president in 1896, and as vice-president in 1910.

Richard Orpen was appointed the architect to St Columba's from 1897 to 1938, following a fire at the college in 1896.

Richard Orpen became a fellow of the college, and the sanatorium became known as the Orpen building.

Richard Orpen was an active member of the Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland, serving as secretary in 1895, on the committee in 1904, and in 1917 sat on the organising committee for the fifth exhibition.

Richard Orpen unveiled a bust of Hugh Lane at the opening of the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art on Harcourt Street in 1908.

Richard Orpen was appointed secretary to the municipal gallery committee by Lane.

From 1910 to 1914, Richard Orpen was in an architectural partnership with Page Dickinson, with the two collaborating on plans for the new Dublin municipal gallery and conversion of the Turkish Baths, Lincoln Place.

In 1914, Richard Orpen was appointed a guardian of the National Gallery of Ireland, and lectured at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art on architectural history in 1914 and 1915.

Richard Orpen was involved in the design of a number of memorials including the setting for a bronze relief by Beatrice Campbell for the members of the Royal Irish Regiment killed in the South African war and the war memorial at the Rathgar methodist church.

Richard Orpen served as president of the arts and crafts section of the Royal Dublin Society.

Richard Orpen was a governor of the Royal National Hospital for Consumption for Ireland in Newcastle, County Wicklow.