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Hillsborough Castle has completed what it calls a “major re-hang” of the State Drawing Room.

It has been completed by Historic Royal Palaces, the charity which manages the castle and gardens, with the result that 33 new works of art are now on view.

Later in April, the gallery will add two further pieces – ‘Off the Donegal Coast’ by Jack B Yeats and ‘The Dressmaker’ by Margaret Clarke – to this significant re-hang.

In addition, the charity has acquired 51 “historically-significant miniature portraits”, some of which will go on display in the summer.

Other highlights on view at the castle include ‘Priscilla, Countess Annesley’ (1931) by Sir John Lavery, ‘Culcavy Cottage’ (1958) by Basil Blackshaw, ‘Strangford Lough’ (1906) by Percy French, and ‘Vanishing Barriers’ (1966) by Alice Berger-Hammerschlag, and a magnificent portrait of Lord Marcus Hill, son of the 2nd Marquess of Downshire, painted by sought-after royal portraitist Thomas Lawrence and donated by the Sandys Trust.

“These works will appear alongside a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Colin Davidson and a portrait of His Majesty the King by Gareth Reid,” said the organisation in a statement.

David Orr, castle and collections manager at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, said: “The State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle is a haven of Irish art, a celebration of our magnificent land and seascapes right through to incredible royal portraits by Irish artists.

Castle Steward Kim Diver admires a brand new contemporary painting, Late Summer on Yew Tree Walk (2024) by local artist Emma Spence. The painting features in the new re-hang of Irish art in the State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, and depicts a scene from Hillsborough's gardens, with the Castle in the distance.

“We are hugely proud of this new collection, and excited to work with a significant range of lenders, including our largest ever from the Republic of Ireland from Crawford Art Gallery in Cork.

“We are also incredibly grateful to the Sandys Trust for their donation of a much-valued painting of Lord Marcus Hill to the collection on view in the State Dining Room, bringing the first ever portrait of the former resident to the castle.

“Meanwhile, the first eight of 51 miniature portraits will enable us to tell even more stories about the Hill family and the history that has developed within the walls of Hillsborough Castle over the past 250 years.”

Art in Northern Ireland's royal residence of Hillsborough Castle is revamped