Modification of Tone and Hue – James Ward Abstract Irish Art Print (1912)
The same red. Four times. Four completely different colours. Ward proved what every Irish eye already knows — that nothing exists in isolation.
In 1912, James Ward set out to demonstrate one of the most radical ideas in colour science: that a colour is never just itself. It is always shaped by what surrounds it. Modification of Tone and Hue of a Colour when Placed on or near Different Colours shows the same red square placed on green, black, blue and gold — and each time, the red transforms. It is art as optical proof, and it is quietly extraordinary.
Ward was born in Belfast in 1851 and went on to become one of Ireland's most influential artists and educators. As headmaster of the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, he taught and inspired a generation — among them Harry Clarke and Seán Keating, two of the most celebrated names in Irish art history. His murals in Dublin City Hall remain among the great works of Irish public art. This painting was made at the height of his powers, during a period of bold experimentation that placed him at the forefront of Irish modernism.
This is not decoration. This is Irish colour science — on your wall.
Why This Print
Authentic Irish art: A work by one of Ireland's most important early modernist artists.
Genuinely rare: A colour theory demonstration that doubles as a bold, graphic work of art.
Conversation starter: Nobody walks past this without asking about it.
Meaningful gift: For anyone with a love of Irish art, design history or the science of how we see.
Sizes & Format
30 × 30 cm / 12 × 12″
50 × 50 cm / 20 × 20″
70 × 70 cm / 28 × 28″
Available framed (black, white, wood) or unframed
Print & Frame Details
Archival matte paper, 250gsm (110lb), acid-free and FSC-certified — off-white, uncoated. Framed prints: solid oak or ash wood frame, 20mm thick, with shatterproof protective glazing. Ready to hang, hanging kit included. Unframed prints up to A4 ship flat; larger sizes ship rolled in a protective tube.
Free Worldwide Shipping
Framed prints are packed with protective corners and wrap, boxed with reinforced edges, and braced with internal supports for extra rigidity (max 3 frames per package). Every order ships free, made to order and delivered from the hub closest to you: Ireland 3–7 business days · UK 4–8 · USA 5–10 · Canada 6–12 · Australia 7–14.
