Pax by John Luke UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £225,000
Pax by John Luke (1906-1975) comes up at Sotheby’s Irish sale in London on September 11. It was painted in 1943. When first shown in Belfast at the annual exhibition of the Ulster Academy in 1944 reviewers noted that his characteristic blend of modernism, fantasy and technical precision had a new resolve.
A major turning point Pax was named for the peace the artist found at Killylea in Co. Armagh. The painting had departed from his work of the 1930’s by fully realising his desire to arrange and represent in a personal and orderly manner the spatial relations of forms and masses. It broke a four year cycle of depression during which he had ceased painting. A small work, measuring just 29.5 by 39 cm it is estimated at 380,000-120,000. It is from the collection of 16 oils from Pittsburgh based Joseph and Brenda Calihan which is at the core of the sale.
Highlights from the sale will be on view at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin from August 30 to September 1.