Richard Thomas Moynan, RHA. Irish painter and political cartoonist.
Obituary.
Published in The Irish Times, Wednesday, 11th April 1906, p.5.
 
MR. R.T. MOYNAN, RHA
We regret to announce the death of Mr. R.T. Moynan, R.H.A., at his residence 15 Garville avenue, after a lengthened period of ill-health. Mr. Moynan's name is well-known to the Irish public as one of the most notable of our native modern painters. He was educated with a view to entering the medical profession, and had proceeded so far on the course that he needed only the final examination to qualify, but his artistic instincts proved to be too strong to be resisted, and he abandoned the profession of medicine for that of art, and made it his life-long study. His earlier studies were at our own Royal Hibernian Academy, where the principal prizes and medals of the time offered by the Academy were gained by him. He gained the Albert Scholarship in 1883. In the following year he ardently pursued his studies at different centres on the Continent. At the Royal Academy at Antwerp, after being a student for only six months, he gained the unique distinction of being the first Irishman to receive the award of first place for painting from life at the Concours, or annual competition, against all competitors of all nationalities, to the number of nearly 100, this being the highest distinction attainable by a student of the Academy. In Paris he subsequently studied under M. M. Collin, Courteis, Bouguereau, and Robert-Fleury, and gained frequent first distinctions for drawing, painting, and composition. On completion of his studies abroad he settled in Dublin, his native place, and until the last two or three years, when his health began to fail, he was a leading and most successful exhibitor in the Royal Hibernian Academy. All of his work was marked by extremely high ability, a rare artistic instinct and power. He was chiefly a figure painter, and the artistic features of city Arab life strongly appealed to his imagination. Fond of children, and naturally of a most amiable disposition, and sympathetic, particularly with the children of the poor, it was his delight to paint from life from these humble models. He saw beauty where few would think of looking for it, and in his oil studies, as well as in many large and important paintings, where the city Arab was the central figure, he has left many exquisite and enduring examples of his exceptional ability. The largest of the first of these works will be remembered by many - "Military Manoeuvres". Exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy, at Chicago Exhibition, and at the San Francisco Exhibition, in the following year, it was purchased in the latter place for a large sum. "Jo" was another notable example of his brilliant compositions, with a poor, ragged street urchin as the principal personage. Exhibited a few years ago in our Royal Hibernian Academy, and listed in the catalogue at £400, it was purchased by Lord Iveagh a few days after the exhibition opened. The art critics of our Dublin Press scarcely ever failed to highly eulogise Mr. Moynan's stering merits, and to encourage younger artists, by directing their attention to his method of work and his results. He painted scarcely anything for the past two years, and only one small work of his appears on the walls of the Royal Hibernian Academy Exhibition now open. A number of Mr. Moynan's pictures were recently sold by auction at Messrs. Bennett's salesrooms in this city. A few more of the important works offered were withdrawn, and these, together with the chief of his works which were not offered, and a valuable collection of old engravings remain in the hands of his executor.
The remains will leave his residence, 15 Garville avenue, Rathgar, to-morrow (Thursday), at 9 a.m., for interment at Mount Jerome.