In 1735, Waterford Corporation, as it was then known, commissioned a painting of the city from a Dutch painter William Van der Hagen (d. 1745) for the sum of £20. This painting still hangs today, 280 years later, in the Bishop’s Palace and is considered to be a painting of national importance.
Waterford City & County Council and the Office of Public Works commissioned the artist Blaise Smith R.H.A., under the Per Cent for Art Scheme, to create a large-scale painting of the city to serve as a companion piece to Van der Hagen’s, showing the same view of the city today.
The new painting was unveiled in September 2016. The painting comprises 52 separate panels and spans five metres wide. It is publicly exhibited in the city hall for future generations to enjoy.
