THE National Gallery of Ireland has unveiled a portrait of renowned Limerick lady and Oscar-nominated actress Ruth Negga.
Portraits of the actor were unveiled at the National Gallery of Ireland, alongside works of celebrated Belfast actor Stephen Rea.
Created by Dublin painter David Booth, Ruth (2025) is an oil on board painting and crowned one of the winners of the AIB Portrait Prize at the National Gallery of Ireland in 2022.
Reacting to the portrait going up in the National Gallery, the Limerick actress said that it has been a total and complete privilege to be the sitter for David’s work”.
“Thank you to both David and the National Gallery of Ireland. Luckily for me, he appears to have infused my portrait with his own qualities of grace, tenderness, and that thing that I believe is crucial to art – a sense of the mysterious.”
Ruth, who was born in Addis Ababa and raised in Limerick, studied at Trinity College Dublin and the British American Drama Academy.
She is known for her critically acclaimed performances on stage and screen, among them roles in the movies Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Loving (2021) and Passing (2021).
She has appeared in many television productions, and received several nominations and awards. In 2025, she received her second Emmy nomination, for her role in the television series Presumed Innocent.
In 2017, she received an Oscar nomination for her performance in Loving, directed by Jeff Nichols.
Reflecting on his work with the Limerick actress, artist David Booth said that “it’s truly an honour to have this portrait of Ruth unveiled at the National Gallery of Ireland. My aim from the outset was for her gaze to confront the viewer directly, establishing a powerful sense of presence and immediacy.”
“Our collaboration throughout the process was one of friendship and openness, which shaped the portrait deeply. I hope the portrait brings viewers close, offering a sense of her warmth, resilience, and unmistakable presence”, he added.
The national portrait collection at the National Gallery of Ireland celebrates the most influential figures in Irish history. The fields of Irish endeavour represented range from sport, literature, and broadcasting to theatre and social justice.
These two new portraits are now on display to the public, for free, in the Portrait Gallery at the National Gallery of Ireland.
