View of Dalkey from the Road 1843

Elizabeth Murray's watercolor, View of Dalkey from the Road, captures a slice of 19th-century Ireland, but it also provides a glimpse into the social dynamics of the time. Murray, born in Dublin, was working during a period of significant social and political upheaval in Ireland. The impact of British rule, the Great Famine, and the rise of Irish nationalism all shaped the cultural landscape. Here, we see the picturesque Dalkey coastline, but also the presence of ordinary people going about their lives. Murray's choice to include these figures, along with details like the humble donkey cart, speaks to a broader interest in depicting everyday Irish life. As a woman artist, she was working within a male-dominated art world, and her choice of subject matter might be seen as a subtle way of asserting her own perspective and interests. By looking at paintings like this, we, as historians, can gain insight into the complex relationship between art, society, and individual experience. Primary sources from the period, such as letters, diaries, and newspapers, can help us better understand the world that Murray inhabited and the social forces that shaped her work.