Ethel Gresley Ball (24 November 1886 – 3 July 1959), was an Irish artist working in both paintings and sculpture. She is best known for her studies of animals at the
Royal Zoological Gardens, Dublin.
Ball exhibited annually at
Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) Exhibitions from 1917, showing over 50 pieces cumulatively.[2] In 1922, along with her sister Maude and
Dorothy FitzGerald, Ball exhibited works at Mills' Hall, Merrion Row, Dublin.[2] She was also featured at the Exhibition of the
Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 1940, in Belfast and at the Royal
National Eisteddfod of Wales. The
National Museum of Ireland purchased a bronze she completed of a 'Great Irish Deer, formerly known as "Irish Elk" ' in 1927,[4] which had been exhibited at Mills' Hall in 1930. Her last exhibited piece with the RHA was in 1940, Zoo Babies at Play.[2]
She died on 3 July 1959.[1] Dublin Zoo hold three pieces of sculpture by her.[2]
Works
Mother - Portrait Bust
Meditation
Miss Florence Gifford
Statuette -1917
Spring - Statuette, 1918
The New Penny, 1919
Boy's Head, 1920
Woman's Head, 1921*
Miss May Crosbie, 1921 (Circa)
Lion Finn, 1922*
Chimpanzee Companions, 1923*
Chimpanzee Companions, 1923*
Head of an Old Man, 1924*
Young Lion - Selim Bey, 1924*
Caracal, 1925*
Arabian Baboon, 1925*
Lynx on Guard, 1925
Chimpanzee, 1925
Italian Workman, 1926*
Baboon Sentry, 1926*
Snarling Leopard, 1926*
Lion Cubs, Dathi, Cormac and Aoife, born in Dublin, 1926*
Lion's Head, 1926
Leopard, 1926
Young Tigers, 1927*
A Little Mischief, 1927*
A Fishy Meal, 1928*
The Favourite, 1928*
The Old Macaw, 1928*
Young Lions, 1929*
The Beggar, 1929*
Mary Devenport O'Neill, 1929*
Play, 1929*
Leopard Set, 1930*
Young Primates - Orang and Chimpanzee, 1931*
My Kill, 1931*
Lion Cub, 1931*
'A Wise Old Bird was She', 1931*
Dainty, 1932*
Ostrich, 1932*
Young Lion Cubs Settling Down, 1932*
The Three Sisters, 1932*
Old Jack the Ratter, 1932*
The Beggar, 1934*
Young Donkey Foal, 1934*
A Young Family, 1934*
Lion Cubs (The Snuggling Stage), 1934*
Head of Lioness, 1934*
Lion, Finn, 1935*
Donkey Foal, 1935*
The Twins, 1935*
Baedan, Bricriu, Breas, Branach and Blanaid, 1935*
Chimpanzee and Her Baby, 1937*
Shetland Pony, 1937*
'Jackie' - Donkey Foal, 1937*
Golden Cat Sharpening her Claws, 1938*
Dates marked * are usually the year a work was exhibited.