Homan Potterton
Homan Potterton is an art historian and writer who was director of the National Gallery of Ireland, 1980-88. At 33, he was the youngest ever director of the gallery. He was previously an assistant keeper, curator, at the National Gallery, London. He was editor of Irish Arts Review, 1993-2002. He has written several art books and catalogues His memoir of growing up in Ireland in the 1950s is Rathcormick: a Childhood Recalled. A second, Who Do I Think I Am? A Memoir brings the story up to his retirement at the age of 42. The title derives from a poem, The National Gallery Restaurant by Paul Durcan the last line of which is 'Who does Homan Potterton think he is-Homan Potterton?'
His novel Knockfane was published in 2019.
In his time in the National Gallery of Ireland he oversaw the production of the first ever catalogues of the Gallery's collections. He was also responsible for persuading Sir Alfred and Lady Beit to leave seventeen paintings, the cream of the Beit Collection, to the Gallery.
He is an honorary member of the Royal Hibernian Academy.
