Prints by Richard Hamilton in the collection of the National Gallery of Iceland.

In 2024, the National Gallery of Iceland received eight Prints by the renowned British artist Richard Hamilton (1922–2011). The works were a gift from his widow, artist Rita Donagh (1939). Richard Hamilton was one of the pioneers of Pop Art, and his 1956 collage Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? is one of the most iconic Pop Art pieces in art history.

The eight prints belong to a series created by Hamilton between 1948 and 1998 as illustrations for one of the great masterpieces of world literature, Ulysses by the Irish author James Joyce (1882–1941). For decades, Hamilton was captivated by this novel, which recounts a single day (June 16, 1904) in the lives of three Dubliners: Leopold Bloom, Molly Bloom, and Stephen Dedalus.

The series was presented to the public at an exhibition in Ljubljana in 2001, where over 110 works on paper were displayed, ranging from sketches and watercolor paintings to series of graphic and digital prints. Hamilton created the illustrations using a variety of media, with each image existing in multiple versions, seeking to reflect James Joyce's experimental narrative techniques.

Richard Hamilton’s connection to Iceland stems from his friendship with Dieter Roth (1930–1998), whom he met in 1961 during Roth’s time living in Iceland. Their bond grew into a lifelong friendship, marked by collaboration on numerous groundbreaking projects. A notable example of their partnership is the book Collaborations of Ch. Rotham, published in 1977, which is now part of the National Gallery of Iceland’s collection (LÍ 9021).

From the late 1970s, Hamilton explored printmaking techniques in depth, often working with intricate combinations of various intaglio methods. The prints donated to the museum by Rita Donagh date from 1981 to 1998. Seven of the works are a blend of techniques, such as etching, drypoint, and aquatint, executed on different bases and printed either in black ink or in color. The seven older works were published by Waddington Graphics in London, while the most recent piece is a digitally created inkjet print issued by the artist himself.

The works:

LÍ-12189      In Horne’s house, 1981 – 1982

LÍ 12190       Finn MacCool 1983

LÍ 12191       Leopold Bloom, 1983

LÍ 12192       The transmogrifications of Bloom, 1984-1985

LÍ 12193        Bronze by gold, 1985-1987

LÍ 12194        HOW A GREAT DAILY ORGAN IS TURNED OUT, 1988-1990

LÍ 12195        He foresaw his pale body (Lotus-Eaters), 1989-1990

LÍ 12196        The heaventree of stars (Ithaca), 1998