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Lot 28
Aloysius O'Kelly RHA (1853-1936)'Mass in a Connemara Cabin'Monochrome watercolour and bodycolour, 19.5 x 27.5cm (7¾ x 10¾")Signed and inscribed verso; also inscribed: "The Duchess of Connaught presenting new colours to the 4th Oxfordshire Light Infantry at Alalish (?) on Friday."Provenance: Christie's London, lot 181, 15 Dec. 1994, where purchased by the present owner.Exhibited: Dublin, Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, 1999-2000, No. 1Literature: Niamh O'Sullivan, Re-orientations. Aloysius O'Kelly: Painting, Politics and Popular Culture, Dublin, 1999.The full scale version of this painting is currently on loan to the National Gallery of Ireland from the people of St Patrick's, Edinburgh and the Trustees of the Archdiocese of St Andrew's and Edinburgh
Lot 46
Jack Butler Yeats RHA (1871-1957)I Will Not Sit on the Grass, She SaidIndian ink and watercolour, 11.3 x 15cm (4½ x 6")SignedProvenance: With the Dawson Gallery, Dublin; Sale, Sotheby's London 10/06/81, Lot 158, where purchased by the present owner.Jack B. Yeats produced his greatest volume of watercolour work during a period (c. 1897-1910) when he was also very active as a cartoonist and illustrator. So, as much as the eye is drawn to the vivid application of finely judged colour, it is the boldness of line, the clarity in the rendering, and occasionally also the humour, that characterizes much of this collection. The skills of draughtsmanship which he undoubtedly possessed had been honed, without tuition, during the hours of obsessive sketching and doodling with which he had occupied himself from an early age. He excelled as a black-and-white artist, and producer of fine watercolours and drawings, during the period that preceded his entry into the world of oil painting with which he is more commonly associated (though he would continue to produce work in all these areas for many years). He was living in England, the country of his birth, throughout this time, and one can detect traces of some of the great English graphic artists, such as George Cruikshank and Phil May, though he evolved an idiosyncratic and recognizable style all his own from early on. A hint of the bizarre, suggestive of Francisco Goya or James Ensor, add a mysterious flavour to works such as the wonderful pencil and watercolour piece, Blue Jackets in Fancy Dress, also known as Men-o-Wars in Fancy Dress (Costume),(Lot 52) which depicts an unusual group of figures ascending a quayside ladder in Dartmouth.There were regular trips back to Ireland, and in dozens of compact sketchbooks he documented the characters and incidents of small-town life, many related to fairgrounds and to horse racing. Hilary Pyle tells us that these sketches, themselves often in ink and watercolour, would form the basis of larger works completed at home in his Devon hideaway, Cashlauna Shelmiddy. Losing nothing in the transition, the finished works retain the spontaneity and raw spark of the quickly rendered sketchbook drawings. Horses appear in a number of the pictures in this collection (The Race (Lot 47); The Baker Rode a Pie-Bald (Lot 51)), and they would be central to his art throughout his life. They could function metaphorically, particularly in the later work, but Yeats could also be more direct in his celebration of their sheer physicality, power, and speed. He was equally fascinated by the enigmatic riders, steely-eyed protagonists in many drawings and paintings, and by the bustle of the social worlds in which they moved. The beautifully observed pen and ink drawing of The Crown and Anchor Man (Lot 48) is typical of the unique characters- the street performers and race day vendors, circus and fairground entertainers- to whom Yeats was repeatedly drawn during this period.Yeats’s first solo exhibition of watercolour sketches, the majority of which were executed in Devon, was held at the Clifford Gallery in London in 1897. In 1899 he held another exhibition of his work, titled “Sketches of Life in the West of Ireland,” at the Walker Art Gallery, again in London, repeated later that year at Leinster Hall in Dublin. Throughout this period Yeats alternated between galleries in these two cities, averaging one solo show annually up to 1914. He subscribed to a press cuttings agency- Romeike and Curtice of the Strand- and pasted his notices and reviews into a scrapbook, which attests to the largely positive response that his watercolour work received at the time. A critic for the Daily Express, on visiting the first Dublin show, wrote that “(n)o one, it seems to us, has studied the humbler side of Irish life with such insight and intelligence, and certainly no Irish artist has ever given us so graceful and fresh a representation of its pathos and humour.” Commenting on another Dublin exhibition two years later, a reviewer for the United Irishman remarks, with some prescience, that “these pictures will some day be looked upon as important historical records.” Indeed there is an almost documentary approach to many of his subjects, unsurprising given the journalistic collaborations with J.M. Synge that saw them render, in prose and illustration, the rawness of life in Mayo and Connemara for the Manchester Guardian in 1905. Yeats would return again and again to the rural sites of sporting competition and public entertainment, often with an eye for the onlookers, as in the busy and endlessly appealing composition of A Good Winner (Lot 50). Many works from this period combine observation from real life with the mischievous caricatural twist that typified much of the material he was also producing for the humour periodicals and early comics. The suggestion of gently ribald comedy in I will not sit on the grass, she said (Lot 46) exemplifies the playful interplay between caption and image that Yeats imported into the art gallery from those popular contexts. The strong outlines and striking compositions evident in these pieces, for example Figure of a Young Woman in a Landscape (Lot 53) and Beggar at the Door (Lot 49), also recall the well-known drawings that appeared in printed form in the series A Broad Sheet (1902-03) and later A Broadside (1908-1915) published respectively in London by Elkin Mathews and in Dublin by Dun Emer/Cuala Press.Michael Connerty, April 2023Lit: Hilary Pyle. Jack B. Yeats- His Watercolours, Drawings and Pastels. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. 1992
Lot 94
Frank McKelvey RHA (1895-1974)Coming from Mass, DonegalOil on canvas, 38 x 50cm (15 x 19¾")SignedFrank McKelvey studied at the Belfast School of Art in his hometown, winning the prize for figure drawing in 1912. He exhibited at the RHA for the first time in 1918 and continued to do so annually for the following fifty years, being elected a full member of the academy in 1930. Between 1923 and 1935 McKelvey exhibited regularly at the Glasgow Institute of Fine Art and his first solo show was held at Locksley Hall, Belfast, in 1934 and again in 1936. His first solo show in Dublin was held at the Victor Waddington Galleries in 1937. During the 1920s McKelvey received many portrait commissions and his work was included in exhibitions of Irish portraits at the Belfast Museum and Art Gallery in 1927 and 1931. He was also included in a major exhibition of Ulster artists at the same gallery in Festival Exhibition 1951 and another at Ulster House in London in 1947. McKelvey’s work can be found in the collections of Queen’s University Belfast, the Royal Ulster Academy, the Masonic Hall in Dublin, Crawford Gallery in Cork, and the Royal Palace of Soestdijk in the Netherlands.
Lot 25
Daniel O'Neill (1920-1974)Girl with a Ruff CollarOil on board, 60 x 49.5cm (24 x 19½")SignedProvenance: With Jorgensen Gallery, Dublin, label versoArt historian Dr. S.B. Kennedy reckoned that the remarkable art dealer Victor Waddington, a central figure in the development of Irish 20th century art, “almost certainly” subsidised Daniel O’Neill’s sojourn in Paris towards the end of the 1940s. The stay was vital for the artist. He stayed in Montmartre and lapped up the atmosphere of the culturally rich, economically quite impoverished, bohemian locality. Kennedy notes the influence of two Maurices on his work: de Vlaminck and Utrillo. Their influence is perceptible thereafter in his strongly stated draughtsmanship and bold use of colour.Rather than being drawn into Cubism and its offshoots, as was the case with many other Irish artists who took the Parisian route, O’Neill worked throughout his life in the representational tradition, though with a certain level of flexibility. That is, he wouldn’t be out of place in the context of the English Neo-romantic artists who flourished at the time. He had a good sense for the drama of a composition - at one point he designed sets for Synge’s Playboy at the Abbey.His work is often notable for its wistful, yearning quality, which, together with his great technical skill, has made it particularly popular with a wide audience. Paintings of individual female subjects number among his best works. This timeless painting is one of them. Against a clear, cloudy background, the young woman looks dreamily at the viewer. She seems lost in her own thoughts and memories, a little melancholy, though a smile plays at the edges of her lips. Elaborately, stylishly dressed in several layers and colours, she sports a generous ruff. That, with the rest of her costume, and a certain otherworldly cast to the lighting, tends to place her back in time, through the centuries. O’Neill embellishes fine layers of oil with applications of pure, bright pigment, giving the image a jewel-like shimmer.Born in Belfast, the son of an electrician, he followed his father into the trade, working for the corporation’s transport department and the shipyards. But even in his early teens he was drawn to art, studying books in the library and attending night classes at technical college. At work he opted for night shifts, painting during daylight. He was taken up by the fine painter and muralist Sidney Smith and befriended Gerard Dillon, exhibiting with him in Dublin in 1943. Victor Waddington’s support gave him the chance to establish himself as an artist.Aiden Dunne, April 2023
Lot 35
Nano Reid (1900-1981)NudeOil on canvas, 50 x 60.5cm (19¾ x 23¾")SignedProvenance: With The Dawson Gallery, Dublin, where purchased, framing label verso, thence by descent to the present owners;The Estates of Dr. John & Mary Esther O’Driscoll, KildareExhibited: Dublin, Municipal Gallery, November/December 1974; Nano Reid Retrospective, Travelling to Belfast, Ulster Museum January/February 1975, Cat. No. 27Born in Drogheda Co. Louth, Nano Reid trained at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin, where she studied under Sean Keating and Harry Clarke. Afterwards she travelled to Paris, enrolling at the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére along with other Irish artists such as Kathleen Fox. Reid then attended the Central School in London, studying under Bernard Meninsky. In 1929 she returned to Ireland where she stayed until 1962 during which time she exhibited regularly at the Dawson Gallery and the R HA. Her first solo exhibition was held at the Dublin Painters Gallery in 1934. After returning to Ireland, Reid spent the rest of her life in Drogheda, concentrating on painting aspects of local life and landscapes. However, her paintings are in no way bound by a sense of locality, but are accomplished essays in painterly abstraction. By 1942, she had established a reputation for her richness of invention, with economy of means, and her watercolour landscapes were compared to those of Raol Dufy. She exhibited at the RHA during the 1930s; but, from 1943, generally exhibited with the Irish Exhibition of Living Artists, the Dublin Painters and later with the Independent Artists. She represented Ireland with Norah McGuinness at the Venice Biennale in 1950 and exhibited at the Guggenheim International Exhibition in New York in 1960.
Lot 36
Camille Souter HRHA (1929-2023)La Verit L'EspressoMixed media on paper, 54 x 40cm (21¼ x 15¾")Signed and dated June 1957Provenance: With The Dawson Gallery, Dublin, where purchased, framing label verso, thence by descent to the present owners;The Estates of Dr. John & Mary Esther O’Driscoll, KildareDating from 1957, La Verit L’Espresso is an excellent example of Camille Souter’s early work. Her earliest surviving paintings date from 1955-1956. The use of newspaper as a painting support was unheard of in Ireland at the time and something she began to experiment with while on her first trip to Italy from September-December 1955. By January 1956, she had returned to Ireland. She would give birth to her daughter Michele in July 1956 and would have her first exhibition in Dublin in December. Numerous paintings by Souter from 1955-1957 were painted on newspaper. Given this work is on Italian newspaper (L’Espresso was founded as a weekly magazine in Rome in October 1955), one wonders whether this work was commenced in Italy and completed in Ireland in 1957 as suggested by the date on the lower right. Alternatively, she might have brought some Italian newspaper home with her in 1956 and only worked on it later. Stylistically, this work appears more advanced than some of those dated 1955 or those painted on Irish newspaper in the collection of the Irish Museum of Modern Art dated 1956. The use of black lines and the relatively abstract appearance of the work invites comparison with American Abstract Expressionist artists like Franz Kline. The small scale of the painting and its use of cheap materials like newspaper is temperamentally far more European than American however. In a vast and wealthy country like the United States, mid-century American artists tended to express themselves on an unabashedly large scale, unrestrained by a long history of painting. By contrast, post-war Europe was re-building itself and after years of rations, the enormous scale of American painting might have seemed something of an anachronism. Unlike Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko or Willem de Kooning Souter’s use of newspaper as a painting support inevitably keeps things on a human, intimate scale and routed in the real world. One is never inclined to view it as entirely abstract or non-representational even if her subject is hard to pin down. The use of cheaper materials such as newspaper could also be said to anticipate the later Italian Arte Povera movement (which surfaced from 1967 to 1972) and to a lesser extent, Pop Art. With its strong black calligraphic lines over joyfully coloured patches of yellow, orange, blue and white, this painting almost has the appearance of stained glass. The conspicuous appearance of text from the newspaper is also reminiscent of advertising hoardings where some later layers of posters have peeled away to reveal older advertisements underneath. It is notable that just over a month later Souter would paint a work titled Out of a Window on newspaper. That work was inspired by a view from the window she worked under in her basement flat in Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin. La Verit L’Espresso also alludes to world events beyond the painting itself even if these are deliberately left undefined. Garrett Cormican, April 2023
Lot 67
Harry Kernoff RHA (1900-1974)Gantries on a Sunday, Belfast 1936Oil on board, 61.7 x 94cm (24 x 37")Inscribed with the title verso in the artist's handExhibited: Thought to be 'Gantries from Victoria Park, Belfast' RHA 1936 Cat. No. 78 Priced £50.0.0'Harry Kernoff Exhibition' Godolphin Gallery, March 1974 Cat No. 2 under title 'Gantries On a Sunday, Belfast 1936' where thought to have been purchased and thence by descent to the current owner.Louis MacNeice’s 1937 poem Carrickfergus opens with the line ‘I was born in Belfast between the mountain and the gantries / To the hooting of lost sirens and the clang of trams’, capturing the sound and landscape of the city and its industry. Similarly, in this painting, Harry Kernoff finds a moment of leisure in Victoria Park under the looming cranes of the Harland and Woolfe shipyard, framed by the mauve Belfast Hills. To the left of the painting, the distinctive Arrol Gantry is visible, built in 1908 and a crucial component in the ability of the company to build large liners like the RMS Titanic and RMS Olympic. Against this imposing backdrop, the game of two boys – setting their small toy boat to sail across the lake – adds a charming touch to the scene. Born in London in January 1900, Harry Kernoff moved to Dublin with his family in 1914. While working as an apprentice cabinet maker with his father, the young artist attended classes at the Kevin Street Technical Schools, before moving to the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. In 1923, Kernoff was awarded the Taylor Scholarship and his first solo exhibition was held in the rooms of the Society of Dublin Painters in 1927. Over the following decades, Kernoff dedicated his painting practice to the representation of daily life in Ireland’s towns and cities, chiefly in Dublin, but extending to Killarney, London, Paris, and Belfast. He was elected to the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1935 and was a regular exhibitor there throughout his career. In 1936, Kernoff included Gantries from Victoria Park, Belfast among his submissions to the RHA Annual Exhibition: a catalogue price of £50 suggests that the work was a well-sized oil, perhaps the present work. There is a detailed preparatory sketch for this painting in the National Gallery of Ireland (NGI. 7766.357). Part of the extensive collection donated by the artist’s sister, Lena Kernoff, after his death, the sketch is robust and meticulous in its depiction and annotation of the scene. Kernoff noted that he observed the ‘Gantry’s [sic] from Victoria Park, Belfast’ on the 11 July 1935. For the most part, the sketch aligns with the present oil, showing the latticed ironwork of the gantries, contrasting with the curve of the bridge and flowing water. A sauntering bird, however, has been replaced with a striding worker – a Belfast cousin of the artist’s characteristic Dublin dockers. Four sketches in this collection relate to this visit to Belfast, with the artist also capturing views of the Bellevue Steps at Belfast Zoo and two views from the top of Cave Hill. Paintings related to these sketches were exhibited at the Waddington Galleries in 1936, and at further Dublin exhibition in 1937. For artists interested in the urban landscape, Belfast’s harbour and shipping industry had long provided visual inspiration: ranging from early nineteenth-century vedute to William Conor’s evocative street scenes and depictions of the city’s workers. This painting, filled with the colour and character of Kernoff’s best urban paintings, is an important component of the artist’s oeuvre and a notable representation of the northern city. Kathryn Milligan April 2023
Lot 136
Gerda Frömel (1931-1975)Head (c. 1972/73)White marble, 36cm (14¼") highOn a rectangular steel base, 20.2 x 26.5cm (8 x 10¾")Provenance: With The Dawson Gallery, Dublin, May 1973, where purchased, thence by descent to the present owners; The Estates of Dr. John & Mary Esther O’Driscoll, KildareBorn in Czechoslovakia in 1931, Greda Frömel was the eldest of four children born to German parents. When she was 14 the family moved to Vienna. Three years later she was attending the Stuttgart Academy of Art and Design studying sculpture, winning in 1949 the Scholarship for Young Artists. In 1953 she spent a year in Ireland, and while there met Werner Schürmann, a young German sculptor and musician, whom she married in 1955. It was in Ireland that she began to exhibit her work in earnest. By 1954 she had begun to exhibit in the Irish Exhibition of Living Art (IELA) and continued to show there regularly, while in 1962 and ‘63 she exhibited at the Independent Artists, also exhibiting at the Oireachtas, where in 1973 she won the Gold Medal. In 1964 and 1970 she had solo exhibitions with Leo Smith in The Dawson Gallery in Dublin, and had a joint show there with Michael Scott in 1967. Frömel’s work achieved critical acclaim and with it many important commissions, including in 1970 her polished stainless steel work entitled Sails for P.J.Carroll and Son, Dundalk. This was, at the time, the largest private sculptural commission in Ireland. Frömel also worked in stained glass for churches in Ireland and Germany, including a stained glass-window at St Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare. Prof. Paula Murphy noted that Frömel brought several influences to bear in her work, “from Brancusi, in her smooth ovoid forms worked in stone”, (as in the present work), “and Giacometti, in her seemingly melting, textured bronze sculptures, to the Henry Moore circle, notably Hepworth and Ben Nicholson, in her abstract discs and rectangular forms.”Frömel died in a drowning accident, while on holidays with her children in Co. Mayo, at the age of 44. The following year a major retrospective exhibition of her work, organised jointly by the Arts Council and the Goethe Institute, was held at Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery.
Lot 18
John F. Kavanagh (1853-1898)The Boatman (1888)Oil on canvas, lined 44 x 80cm (17¼ x 31½")Signed, inscribed 'Paris' and dated 1888John F. Kavanagh (or Kavanaugh) was born in Canada in 1853, the son of Irish immigrant parents. He moved to the United States and worked as a photographic printer, then as an artist in Cleveland, Ohio. He studied at the National Academy of Design, New York. Back in Cleveland, he established himself as a portrait artist in crayon. (1)In his late twenties, feeling the need to continue his studies and broaden his experience, following the pattern of many of his North American and Irish contemporaries, he set off for Europe. He spent several years studying in academies there, visiting artists colonies, and gaining experience as a painter of nature. From 1882-1884 Kavanagh studied in Munich, with Greek-born artist Nikolas Gysis; he then studied in Paris, at the Academie Julian, 1886-1887, registering in the atelier of Gustave Boulanger and Jules Lefebvre, 11August 1886.(2) He studied in the atelier of Fernand Cormon, 1888-1889. While in Paris Kavanagh lived in a variety of addresses, for example at 7 rue de Tournon in 1887; at 233 rue de Faubourg-Saint-Honoré in 1888; and at 40 avenue de Wagram in 1889. Like many of his contemporaries he was attracted to painting in the open air, for example near Paris, at Fontainebleau and at Scheveningen in the Netherlands. While still a student Kavanagh exhibited seven pictures at the Paris Salon (Société des Artistes Francais), this prestigious French institution recognising the value of his work in portraiture, genre, landscape and drawing. In 1887, for example, he exhibited Une Berger (a shepherdess), and a woman of Scheveningen. In 1888 he showed a picture of a schoolmaster, a portrait and a drawing. He exhibited a portrait and a drawing again in 1889.(3) In that year Kavanagh returned to America. He taught portraiture and became director of the Art Club, Cleveland. Sadly his latter years were difficult ones; he became destitute and sold the contents of his studio, dying in 1898.Curiously, in some standard dictionaries of art, Kavanagh’s name is confused with his Irish namesake and near contemporary Joseph Malachy Kavanagh (1856–1918), (4) or is omitted. So, his significance as an important plein-air artist is often overlooked.More often associated with portraiture, Kavanagh is represented here with two sunny river landscapes, both inscribed ‘Paris 1888’, painted during his student years in France, and both coming from private collections.The Boatman features a man in a punt on a gleaming stretch of river. He is viewed from behind standing in the front and wielding a pole. His figure is carefully defined in sunlight and shadow, reflected in the calm waters. The large horizontal canvas allows Kavanagh to include a panoramic sunlit landscape on the opposite bank. Above the river bank a harvest scene, with haystacks and a large, red-roofed barn, can be seen. Beyond is a settlement with houses and churches. The sunny, colourful landscape represented with lively brushstrokes suggests that Kavanagh may have been familiar with Impressionist paintings.The inscription of ‘Paris’ and ‘1888’ after the artist’s signature is significant, denoting that the landscape was painted during the period when Kavanagh was studying in Paris.Dr. Julian Campbell
Lot 99
James Arthur O'Connor (1792-1841)Dargle: Moonlight and Ruin (1837)Oil on canvas, 35 x 44.5cm (13¾ x 17½")Signed and dated 1837Provenance: Lady Woods, 'Marino', Killiney, Co. Dublin, thence by descent. William Ferrand Frame-Maker trade label verso.Exhibited: Dublin, Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, 'O'Connor Centenary Exhibition,' Catalogue No. 46
Lot 43
Basil Blackshaw HRHA RUA (1932-2016)Running ManOil on canvas, 152 x 122cm (59¾ x 48")Provenance: From the artist's estateUniversally admired despite what some might regard as the challenging nature of a great deal of his work, Basil Blackshaw often seemed to nurture either one of two strong inclinations: one was to achieve the guileless honesty of a child in how he drew and painted, avoiding all the signs of adult visual sophistication. The other, not too dissimilar, was to make a satisfying painting while at the same time entirely nullifying the conventional trappings of an image. As it happens, both tendencies depended on his exceptional conventional abilities, pressed into service to bypass and transcend those same abilities. And both could involve writing across the composition, like an actor breaking the fourth wall. No matter what he was doing, he never shed the canny instincts of a gifted picture-maker.His running figure is a fine compendium of these various characteristics. The figure is both simple, scant on detail and painted in an unmodelled red ochre. But it’s also subtle, rendered in a manner that distinctly recalls classical Greek art (though wearing contemporary white running shoes, presumably Nike) and sensitively observed so that the attitude, the movement, feel exactly right. The background, displaying Blackshaw’s mastery with shades of grey and his sheer love of paint, could be a cast concrete wall, and the unruly text an ambiguous mix of applied and graffitied lettering.The son of a horse trainer, and thoroughly at home in a rural world of horses, dogs and farmyards, Blackshaw was feted as a prodigy but backed away from a conventional artistic career trajectory, quietly quitting a teaching job (he never returned after a cold snap temporarily closed the school) and moving from the city back to the country. His core subject matter included animals, the human figure (Jude Stephens was his long-term model), landscape and portrait subjects. He excelled in all areas and built a wide, faithful following, as well as being greatly esteemed by his peers.Aiden Dunne, April 2023
Lot 98
James Arthur O'Connor (1792-1841)Rocky Landscape with Figure (1840)Oil on canvas, 35 x 45cm (13¾ x 17¾")Signed with initials and dated 1840Provenance: Collection Chidley Coote, Dublin; Lady Woods, Marino, Killiney, Co. Dublin, thence by descentExhibited: Dublin, Exhibition of Arts, Industries and Manufactures, Exhibition Palace, 1872; Dublin Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, 'O'Connor Centenary Exhibition' 1941, Catalogue No. 48The Romantic movement in early 19th century European painting was a response to the Enlightenment era and its emphasis on reason and logic. It was characterized by a fascination with emotion, imagination, individualism, and the natural world. James Arthur O’Connor belongs to the great Romantic movement, a movement that celebrates - in literature, music and especially in painting - creativity and a deep understanding of the power of nature. He was perhaps one of Ireland’s best loved painters of the 19th century until being eclipsed by Walter Osborne and others of the Irish Impressionist school.James Arthur O’Connor was born in Dublin, the son of an engraver and printer, William O’Connor. Although given a few lessons by Dublin artist William Sadler, he was largely self-taught. A lifelong friend of George Petrie and Francis Danby, he went to London with them in 1813, only to return a short time later to look after his orphaned sisters. His reputation as an artist quickly developed while back in Ireland, painting a series of landscapes for the Marquis of Sligo and Lord Clanricarde. In 1821 O’Connor and his wife, Anastasia, emigrated to London and the following year he exhibited at the Royal Academy. Over the course of the next decade he travelled a great deal in Europe, visiting France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, spending several months in the Rhine Valley. With his eyesight and his general health failing in 1839, his output diminished dramatically and he eventually died, virtually penniless, in London in 1841.John Hutchinson noted, in the catalogue for the 1985 exhibition in the National Gallery of Ireland, that O’Connor’s work may be divided into three distinct phases – the early topographical paintings, mid-period picturesque and the late romantic works. Romantic painters sought to create art that evoked strong emotional responses in the viewer, often through dramatic subject matter, intense colour, and dynamic compositions and O’Connor’s late works, such as the selection in this sale, reflect his abiding interest and fascination in the dramatic, such as the moonlit scene with the ruined castle reaching high above the surrounding trees. The presence of a solitary figure standing on a rocky outcrop and an attendant dog provides dramatic scale. Tranquillity is a common theme in these later works and possess a pastoral calm that transforms them into very pleasing compositions which went down very well with the picture buyers of the time. However, by the mid 1830s O’Connor was quite depressed about his lack of sales, complaining in correspondence about the fact that he wasn’t ‘selling a single picture’. Solitude too is a feature of pictorial compositions through the 18th and early 19th centuries and is a motif that O’Connor developed in his later work. The Canadian art historian David Solkin made interesting observations in relation to this theme in 1982 when he wrote ‘(It) gives emblematic form to the notion of rural retirement, as a moral activity which allows man the opportunity to study and to become aware of the greatness of God … such a message was designed to appeal to contemporary patrician landowners, who like to think of themselves as virtuous hermits in the private confines of their country estates.’ While O’Connor’s solitary figures, as represented in these present works, may not be seen as aristocratic in any sense, they are representative of the broader family of man, whether a fisherman preparing his rod or an ambulant red-clad countrywoman with bonnet and basket. While O’Connor’s star waned in the later years of his life, his work has continued to have a great appeal, a testament to his enduring power as a painter of timeless natural sublimity.
Lot 219
Exquisite wind-up timepiece from Bulova, crafted from 14K white gold in an Art Deco style. Face is shaped like a gift box crowned on top and bottom with melee diamonds. Banded with stretch band and stamped Bulova 14K. Total weight 14 grams. Issued: Mid 20th CenturyDimensions: 0.75"L x 2" dia.Manufacturer: BulovaCountry of Origin: USACondition: Age related wear.High Res Image 1High Res Image 2High Res Image 3High Res Image 4
Lot 361
Grouping includes: Ruby red garnet stones double strand bracelet with Art Nouveau closure (7" full length), floral design brooch with blue guilloche enamel (1.5" x 1"), and a gold tone twisted rope design brooch with a hook to be used as a pendant as well (2" x 2"). Condition: Good, minor age related wear.High Res Image 1High Res Image 2High Res Image 3High Res Image 4
Lot 75
This Art Deco unsigned pin is fabulous, featuring a trembling parrot perched in a cage which is set with tiny pave rhinestones and has colored enamel painted on bird's feathers. The top of the cage has blue baguette rhinestones, the bottom has tiny dark blue square cut rhinestones, and the bow shaped pin has more pave set stones with enameling and a large oval blue rhinestone in the center. The 3D cage hangs from bow pin giving it movement and is very elegantly constructed. Issued: c. 1940Dimensions: 2"L x 0.75"W x 3.25"HCountry of Origin: Chicago, IllinoisCondition: Age related wear. Missing a few stones.High Res Image 1High Res Image 2High Res Image 3High Res Image 4
Lot 45
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SHABTI FOR KHAEMWASET, SON OF RAMESES II EGYPT, NEW KINGDOM DYNASTY XIX, CIRCA 1250 - 1230 BC the blue faience ushabti mummiform figure wears a broad collar, a short wig with a side lock of hair, typical for a Sem Priest, his crossed hands hold hoes and a seed bag hangs from the back, a vertical inscription is painted on the front reading, “The illuminated one, the Osiris, Sem Priest of Ptah, Son of the King (Prince), Khaemwaset” Dimensions:15cm high (excl. stand)Provenance:Provenance:Bertolami Sale 66 Lot 158 Previously with Hixenbaugh Ancient Art (New York, 2014) Formerly in the collection of Leopoldo Benguerel y Godo, Barcelona, acquired in London in the 1960’s.Note: Note: The shabti has been dated by means of a Thermoluminescence analysis carried out in May 2014 by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. In addition a more recent analysis was carried out by Oxford Authentication in 2022 (with accompanying certificate).
Lot 38
SABAEAN ALABASTER BULL STELE SOUTHERN ARABIA, C. 3RD CENTURY B.C. - 1ST CENTURY A.D. carved alabaster, of trapezoidal form, carved in high relief with a central head of a bull with incised features, raised on a bespoke mountDimensions:27cm highProvenance:Provenance:Hirsch Auction, 23rd September 2008, lot 257Private Collection of Mr. L.Note: Note:For a similar example please see: The British Museum, London, accession number 130884. The bull was an important symbol in the ancient Kingdom of Saba, located in modern-day Yemen. The Sabaean people believed that bulls represented strength, fertility, and prosperity, and they incorporated this powerful animal into their art and culture. Sabaean bull sculptures were often placed in prominent locations such as temples and public spaces, and they were believed to bring good fortune and protection to the community. The bull was also associated with the Sabaean deity Almakah, who was believed to be the goddess of agriculture and fertility.
Lot 40
NABATEAN DISH NEAR EAST, 1ST CENTURY B.C. - 1ST CENTURY A.D. painted terracotta, standing on a rounded base, the shallow walls leading to an inverted rim, of dark red-orange colour and with umber painted vegetal decorationDimensions:18.9cm diameterProvenance:Provenance:From an important collection of Nabatean pottery formed over a number of decades, GenevaPrivate collection, United Kingdom, acquired from the aboveNote:Note:For a similar example, please see: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession number 1977.234.12 In discussing the piece referenced above, The Metropolitan Museum (2023) writes: "The very thin painted ware so closely identified with Nabataean culture began to appear in the first century B.C. It reflects the influence of Hellenistic wares, but because its shapes, colors, and decoration are unique, it forms a distinct type and was recognized early on as an accurate indication of Nabataean presence. Found primarily in southern Nabataea, the pottery has also turned up in the ports of Oman and Yemen, along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and along the Incense Route. Nabataean painted ware is usually decorated with floral motifs. It has been suggested that Nabataean painted ware was deliberately broken after use in religious ceremonies; the ware has also been connected with cultic meals for the deceased."
Lot 21
FINE BRONZE AGE HALLSTATT SPIRAL FIBULA SOUTH CENTRAL EUROPE, LIKELY BALKANS, C. 1000 - 800 B.C. bronze wire, the base of the fibula formed of a single large spiral below a bow with eight smaller lateral spirals, which are attached to the central bow by three cuffs, the head formed into a loop with a quadruple spiral, the reverse with surviving pinDimensions:21.2cm longProvenance:Provenance:Private collection, Walton-on-Thames, acquired 1930-1970sPrivate collection, United Kingdom, acquired from the above 1970sNote:Note:The spiral motif is a prevalent feature of Bronze Age art across Europe, particularly in the Late Bronze Age around 1300-700 B.C. The spiral is believed to have held symbolic meaning, and its presence in various forms of art suggests that it held significance for people during this period. Its importance is widely debated, but it is often associated with notions of cyclical time, movement, and transformation. The significance of the spiral in Bronze Age art may have also been influenced by the materials and techniques used in its production. Bronze Age artisans were skilled in the creation of intricate metalwork, and the spiral may have been seen as a way to showcase their technical abilities. It is also possible that the spiral was used as a decorative element to enhance the beauty and value of objects, such as jewellery and weapons.
Lot 81
COLLECTION OF LURISTAN PERSIAN SPEAR HEADS NEAR EAST, C. 1000 - 750 B.C. cast bronze, each with leaf-shaped blade and raised central mid-rib, rounded shaft and squared shank below, each raised on a bespoke mount and displaying a beautiful range of deep green and azure blue patination (7)Dimensions:largest 48cm longProvenance:Provenance:Private collection, United Kingdom, acquired on the UK art market 1980sPrivate collection, London, United Kingdom 2017 from the aboveNote: Note: It is generally believed that the Luristan region was a significant centre for metalworking during the Iron Age in the ancient Near East; producing weapons, ornaments, and other objects of bronze and iron. A large number of these artefacts, especially weaponry, have been found in other neighbouring territories, suggesting that they may have been traded or commissioned, including to the Persian Empire.
Lot 96
GANDHARAN HEAD OF BUDDHA GANDHARA, 4TH - 5TH CENTURY A.D. dark grey stucco, Buddha is depicted with a serene countenance, his almond-shaped eyes half closed and mouth set with a gentle smile, the hair rises in waves to form a bun-shaped ushnisha, the earlobes characteristically elongatedDimensions:19.8cm high excl. standProvenance:Provenance:With Spink & Son Ltd. from at least July 1989Private Japanese Collection, kept in Switzerland, acquired from the above on 27th July 1989With David Aaron Ltd., London, since 23rd December 2010. Imported from Switzerland to London in February 2011Private Collection of Mr. L., acquired from the above on 30th August 2017 (D2083)Note: Note: For a similar example please see Victoria and Albert Museum, London, accession number IM.3-1931 The substitution of stucco and terracotta for the traditional grey schist of earlier Gandharan sculptures allowed for greater artistic innovation and creative freedom. The use of these raw materials allowed for sculptures to be moulded and sculpted while still malleable, rather than requiring intensive chiselling from hard stone, drastically reducing production times. This masterfully crafted sculpture, depicting the Buddha as a young man and originally part of a large-scale figure carved in high-relief, exhibits a wonderfully evocative image. Excavations at various archaeological sites throughout Gandhara have uncovered examples of moulds for similar Buddha heads, suggesting that they were created at the monasteries where they were installed. The Gandhara kingdom, located in the Peshawar Valley and the Potohar Plateau, was a deeply Buddhist province with strong ties to the teachings of the Buddha since his death in 480 B.C. This ancient province was a melting pot of Greco-Roman, Chinese, Indian, and Central Asian influences, resulting in the evolution of a diverse yet idiosyncratic form of Buddhist art. The Kushan Empire, which ruled Gandhara from 30-375 AD., was skilled at assimilating cultures, ruling trade routes, and maintaining close diplomatic ties with the Roman, Chinese, and Sasanian Empires. This sculpture, along with other opus of Kushan Buddhist art from the area, can be dated to between the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. and depicts a fusion of Hellenistic motifs with Orientalist traditions, resulting in a new form of Buddhist iconography where western stylistic signatures such as curled hair and heavy drapery begin to appear prevalent on eastern-like forms.
Lot 24
BRONZE AGE BANGLE CENTRAL EUROPE, C. 1200 - 800 B.C. cast bronze, the broad pennanular bangle with subtle tiering at the terminals, incised with geometric patterning throughout, rich green patinationDimensions:8.5cm diameterProvenance:Provenance:Private collection, Walton-on-Thames, acquired 1930-1970sPrivate collection, United Kingdom, acquired from the above 1970sNote: During the Late Bronze Age in Central Europe (1300 to 800 B.C.), and indeed Europe more widely, archaeological evidence suggests that societies were increasingly characterised by a martial ethos, hierarchical social structures and a focus on military prowess as a means of securing and expanding territory. There is evidence of the emergence of a specific warrior class that held a prominent place in society. Many such individuals were buried with their weapons and other possessions, which were believed to be necessary for their journey into the afterlife. The following collection contains a range of objects that would have belonged to people from this world. Echoes of this martial culture are to be found in Homer's contemporaneous epic poem, the Iliad, which provides a vivid portrayal of the spirit of the Late Bronze Age, where large groups of armed individuals would travel significant distances in search of plunder and enrichment. The actual reasons for the emergence of these warrior cultures is not entirely clear. However, some scholars suggest that it may have been driven by a need for protection and control of natural resources such as metal ores and fertile land. Others propose that it may have been linked to the increasing complexity of political structures and the need for military power to enforce social order. In Central Europe, this warrior elite appears to have enjoyed high social status and power, and the objects featured here reflect their world of privilege. The drinking cup (lot 17) would likely have originally been part of a set, with a number of such cups accompanying a larger vat from which would have been served beer or in more southerly locales, wine. Archaeological evidence from burials also reveals the importance of personal grooming in Late Bronze Age Central Europe. Alongside martial gear, warriors were often buried with personal care items such as razors and knives (see lots 18, 19, 20) suggesting that personal grooming and appearance was an important aspect of their culture. For example, a burial discovered in Hungary contained the remains of a male warrior who was buried with a set of bronze grooming tools, including tweezers, a razor, and a comb. The presence of these grooming items alongside weapons and armour suggests that personal appearance and hygiene were important considerations for warriors, and that they may have used these items to maintain a clean-shaven or trimmed appearance. Further to the south in Mycenaean Greece, we have contemporaneous literary traditions making reference to such practices. For instance, within the Iliad there are several references to personal grooming among the warrior elites. In Book 18, the Trojan prince Hector is described as taking a moment to comb his hair and beard before re-entering the battle. This moment of personal grooming suggests that even in the midst of a violent conflict, appearance and presentation were still important considerations for warriors. The twisted torque (lot 22), bronze bangle (lot 24), spiral fibula (lot 29) & spiral brooch (lot 21) are fine examples of the ostentatious jewellery worn by the elites of the Late Bronze Age. In the case of the brooch & fibula, their use of the spiral is also significant; the spiral is believed to have held symbolic meaning, and its presence in various forms of art suggests that it held significance for people during this period. Its importance is widely debated, but it is often associated with notions of cyclical time, movement, and transformation. The significance of the spiral in Bronze Age art may have also been influenced by the materials and techniques used in its production. Bronze Age artisans were skilled in the creation of intricate metalwork, and the spiral may have been seen as a way to showcase their technical abilities.
Lot 97
OLMEC MASQUETTE MEXICO, 900 - 400 B.C. carved and polished green serpentine, the distinctive features displaying a subtly downturned mouth, broad nose and narrowed eyes framed by a frowning brow, the ears pierced, raised on a bespoke mountDimensions:10.5cm tall (unmounted)Provenance:Provenance:Ex Samuel Dubiner Collection, Canada (1960s)Barry Kernerman, TorontoOrtiz Collection, MiamiNote: Note: The Olmec civilization, which thrived in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico from approximately 1400 - 400 BC, is renowned for its remarkable artistic achievements, among which serpentine masks such as the present example are particularly noteworthy. Crafted from the distinctive deep green stone, they were characterised by intricate carvings that depicted human visages with exaggerated features, such as downturned mouths, almond-shaped eyes, and broad noses. The masks also incorporated serpentine imagery in the form of coiled snakes or serpent-like figures that surrounded the faces or extended from the top of the masks. It is believed that serpentine masks were utilised in ceremonial and ritual contexts, likely in conjunction with funerary practices or religious festivals, and were probably worn by priests or other elite members of society during these events. The masks also held symbolic value as status symbols, owing to their valuable materials and the skilled craftsmanship required to create them. The Olmec civilization has had a profound impact on the development of modern art, particularly during the early 20th century, when Western artists rediscovered the art of ancient cultures, including that of the Olmec. This renewed interest in Olmec art influenced the emergence of modernist art movements such as Cubism and Surrealism. Olmec sculptures' stylised, geometric forms, such as the iconic "colossal heads," served as sources of inspiration for artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore, while the Olmec's use of negative space and abstraction was influential in the development of modernist sculpture. In addition, the Olmec's fascination with the natural world, particularly the serpent, inspired Surrealist artists such as Salvador Dali and Max Ernst, who integrated serpent imagery into their works. The Olmec's use of jade and other precious materials also influenced modernist jewellery and decorative arts. Today, the Olmec's legacy remains a significant source of inspiration for contemporary artists who continue to draw on its bold forms and use of negative space.
Lot 46
BACTRIAN STONE FEMALE "PRINCESS" IDOL BACTRIA-MARGIANA, C. LATE 3RD - EARLY 2ND MILLENNIUM B.C. carved chlorite and limestone, the figure formed of two parts, shown seated, the voluminous dress enveloped with layered kaunakes, the arms and hands hidden within the folds, the entire garment is covered with hatching, tufts can be seen at the shoulders, the head formed of carved limestone, the figure wears a serene expression with a subtle smileDimensions:10cm tallProvenance:Private collection, Mr. D.S., United Kingdom, originally acquired between 1985 - 1990Private collection, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above 2014Note: Note:Amongst the most striking examples of figural sculpture surviving from the Oxus (Bactrian-Margiana) Civilisation of ancient Central Asia, these enigmatic figures known as “Princess Idols” were clearly of significance, yet their exact purpose remains unclear. Seals found further to the southwest engraved with similar likenesses confirm the clear relationship between these Bactrian statuettes and Elamite art. One such seal even depicts a queen wearing the same characteristic kaunakes garment. The elaborate dress and grandeur of the Bactrian statues have long led scholars to believe they may depict women from the aristocracy. However, there is no conclusive evidence to support this theory. Another possibility is that these figures represent goddesses who maintained the balance of natural forces. Despite the enigmatic nature of their meaning, these statues are considered among the most aesthetically pleasing remains of the Oxus civilisation. Muscarella (2003:368) writes, "attempts have been made to interpret these figures as deities or prominent humans, but insufficient information exists to permit a satisfactory conclusion. There is no doubt, however, that they are charged beings, physically massive but projecting a calm power and authority."
Lot 47
ANCIENT ARABIAN BRONZE IBEX SOUTHWESTERN ARABIA, C. 500 B.C. cast bronze, the animal shown standing in a state of alertness, with it's elegant curled horns reaching back to the upright ears, the tail raised, accompanied by a bespoke mountDimensions:7.5cm high, 4.3cm long (excluding stand)Provenance:Provenance:Property of a London collector, acquired 1990s-2000sTimeline Auctions, London, 3rd September 2019, lot 108Note:Note: For a similar example please see: The Metropolitan Museum, New York, accession number 53.47.2 The Metropolitan Museum (2023) describes a similar piece in their collection as follows: "The ibex was the most widely represented animal in southwestern Arabian art. Ritual ibex hunts were an important feature of the cult practices of the southwestern Arabian kingdoms. Successfully capturing and killing these elusive creatures was believed to secure favors from the gods.This sculpture may have served as a handle for an incense burner similar to one in the Museum’s collection (MMA 49.71.2). From the middle of the first millennium B.C. until the sixth century A.D., the kingdoms of southwestern Arabia gained considerable wealth and power through their control of the trade in incense between Arabia and the lands of the Mediterranean seacoast. Frankincense and myrrh, gum resins that are native to southern Arabia, were widely valued in the ancient world for the preparation of incense, perfumes, cosmetics, and medicines, as well as for use in religious and funerary ceremonies."
Lot 4170
We are pleased to announce an exclusive auction for a pair of exquisite Asian style 22K yellow gold earrings. Crafted with exceptional artistry, these earrings showcase the elegance and richness of traditional Asian design. Material: 22K Yellow Gold Weight: 6.8 grams The earrings feature a stunning blend of intricate details and delicate motifs, creating a mesmerizing visual appeal. The craftsmanship of these earrings reflects the mastery of skilled artisans, making them a true work of art. With their lustrous 22K yellow gold composition, these earrings exude a radiant glow that enhances any outfit. They are perfect for special occasions or for adding a touch of sophistication to your everyday style. This auction presents a unique opportunity to own a timeless piece of jewelry that combines the beauty of Asian aesthetics with the purity of 22K gold. (No VAT - Margin Scheme)
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