The sheer scale of the paintings and drawings that make up Hughie O'Donoghue's Episodes From the Passion at the RHA Gallagher Gallery tend to take visitors by surprise writes Aidan Dunne. It's all the more surprising given that these vast creations had their beginnings in some quiet conversations between painter and patron in a number of old Italian churches.

During 1986, O'Donoghue spent several months in Italy. The year before, he'd briefly met an American art collector, Craig Baker, who paid him a visit in Florence. Visiting churches together, they soon discovered they shared a passion for the golden age of Italian art. Then, while they were looking at Ghirlandaio's frescoes at Santa Maria Novella, Baker popped the question.

Would O'Donoghue consider painting a cycle of paintings on the Passion of Christ? It would be a contemporary take on a classic theme that had fallen out of favour. Baker was willing to fund this project and to see that the works found their way into public display. At that stage, neither man knew how much work and how much time would be involved.

O'Donoghue has devoted the bulk of his time for 12 years to the Passion. As good as his word, Baker has loaned this huge body of work to the Irish State. After their stint at the Gallagher Gallery, the OPW will find homes for the paintings in other public venues including, probably, the National Concert Hall. But these pictures are not the end of the story. That Episodes in the title says as much. In due course we can expect to hear more on the subject from O'Donoghue.