Brass 'Irish Harpist' Figurine

"This cast brass lacquered figurine has long stood on a shelf in my grandfather’s house. It is a depiction of an Irish harpist, one we are all familiar with. The collection of brass objects that was housed here, range from large pieces to much smaller objects like this one. From doorknockers to bells, with such an assemblage of objects it is possible to presume that, over time, the family collected objects cast in this particular material. Of all the figurines, the brass harpist ornament caught my eye the most. It can certainly be considered to be a ‘national treasure’ as it represents a very romantic view of Ireland. It is Celtic in its’ very nature. Dominant in Celtic designs in early twentieth-century Ireland, were figures of cultural mythology and figures of ‘irishness’ that created messages of patriotism and national identity. This romanticism with Ireland’s past furthered a sense of nationalism, which was growing in Ireland at the time."