Derek Hill

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arthur Derek Hill (1916–30 July 2000) was an English portrait and landscape painter, born in Hampshire.

Hill first worked as a theatre designer and later as an historian. His long association with Ireland began when he visited Glenveagh Castle, County Donegal to paint the portrait of the Irish-American art collector, Henry McIlhenny of the Tabasco sauce family. He began to enjoy increased success as a portrait painter in the 1980s, his subjects including many notable composers, musicians, politicians and statesmen, such as broadcaster Gay Byrne and the Prince of Wales. He was also an enthusiastic art collector and traveller. In 1981, he donated his home, St. Columba House, which he had owned since 1954, to the State.

An exhibition of his work and personal art collection can be seen at the House and associated Glebe Gallery at Churchill, Letterkenny. Another collection of his work is held at Mottisfont Abbey. Many of his landscapes portray scenes from Tory Island, where he lived for years and was associated with the artist's community there. In 1999, he was made an honorary Irish citizen by president Mary McAleese.

He died after a long illness at a London Hospital on 30 July 2000 aged 83 and is buried in the South of England with his parents.