A blockbuster exhibition of Andy Warhol’s paintings, prints, photographs, films and installations opens at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin in October and will run until next January. Five years in the making it will include more than 250 works on loan from museums and private collections and from the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. Work on show will range from iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans, Flowers, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy and Chairman Mau to self-portraits, skulls, electric chairs and avant garde films along with his immersive Silver Clouds sculpture.Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn became the most expensive 20th Century artwork ever sold at auction when it made $195 million at Christie’s in New York last year.
La Vita Nuova by Dante illustrated by Phoebe Anna Traquair.
A rare copy of La Vita Nuova by Dante illustrated by the Dublin born artist Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852-1936) is available at London booksellers Peter Harrington with a price tag of £1,500 (€1,748). The first edition is one of 150 copies of a finely printed photographic reproduction of Traquair’s illuminated manuscript. A key figure in the Arts and Crafts movement Traquairs best known work is Mansfield Place Church, which has been described as Edinburgh’s Sistine Chapel.
Inspired by Sinead O’Connor Nothing Compares 2 U is the title of this artwork by Jack Coulter on display at Sotheby’s first ever selling exhibition in Dublin. New artworks by the renowned 29 year old Belfast artist who is best known for his paintings of extreme visceral quality are on display in a show titled A Song For You. Coulter has synaesthesia, a neurological condition whereby he experiences sound as colour, and is inspired by songs of artists like Sinead O’Connor, Harry Styles (who collects his work), The Corrs, Blondie and many others. At the Cadogan Hall in London in 2018 he painted Mendlessohn’s Violin Concerto live with the London Chamber Orchestra at a performance that was streamed worldwide. Other synesthete artists include David Hockney and Joan Mitchell. A debut exhibition by the artist at Sotheby’s in London last November appealed to buyers right around the world, including some celebrities, and was a huge success. The exhibition is on display at Sotheby’s, Molesworth St., Dublin until August 4 and available there to view and purchase online until August 31.
Vintage views of the Lakes of Killarney from well over a century ago. UPDATE: THIS MADE €50 AT HAMMER
There is much more to an album of old photographs than an album of old photographs. It is too easy nowadays to overlook the technical difficulties and arduous processes faced by picture pioneers. Our late 19th century photographers captured a long vanished utterly different Ireland – unspoilt by pollution, unworried about global warming and artificial intelligence – with great skill and determination.Photographers had to carry a great deal of heavy equipment with them into the field. The film they used retained its light sensitivity only when wet. A heavy glass plate needed to be coated, exposed and developed immediately in a single sequence. The idea of having a phone (what is that?) in your pocket to take photographs and videos at the drop of a hat was beyond what could then have been imagined. Those far off days are recalled in an interesting album of vintage photographs from c1865-1914 at Hegarty’s summer live online evening auction in Bandon on July 25. Estimated at just €80-€100 it contains vintage images of Irish and British buildings, castles, beauty spots and sights of interest. They were mostly taken by Robert French, chief photographer at William Lawrence Photographic Studios of Dublin, creators of the famous Lawrence Collection now held at the National Library of Ireland. In the late 1870’s William Lawrence sought out Robert French to photograph topographical work. French provided up to date views to Lawrence for 35 years which were sold in agencies throughout Ireland. In the period from 1880-1910 the firm dominated photography in Ireland.
A carved agate Fabergé frog UPDATE: THIS MADE 6,700 AT HAMMER OVER A TOP ESTIMATE OF 2,000
More than 300 lots of silver, furniture, art and jewellery will come under the hammer at Hegarty’s. Among the most expensively estimated are a gold lady’s Rolex wristwatch and a gem set carved agate frog attributed to Fabergé. Complete with gold mounted purple gem set eyes it is in a fitted Fabergé case with matching inventory number, Imperial stamp and marked Fabergé, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa. These tiny figures – this one just five cm wide and 2 cm high – were born of Fabergé’s love for Japanese netsuke. He maintained a large collection of them.
Neatly sized antique furniture is usually a draw and this sale offers a 19th century Chippendale style kneehole desk/chest with serpentine top, canted corners, a brush slide and ample storage in tip top condition. There should be some interest too in an Irish mahogany sideboard which dates to the late 19th century.The silver section includes an 18th century Irish silver salver with the date mark for 1774 and a JL makers mark and an early 20th century Birmingham silver trinket box.
French Empire Style specimen table. UPDATE: THIS MADE €3,800 AT HAMMER
This French Empire style marble specimen table comes up Sheppards sale of the entire contents of Knocksaintlour House, Cashel on August 15. The sale will be held at Durrow in Co. Laois. The circular-shaped table top with Greek key scroll border encloses a quadrant paterae centre. It rests on a doric columned temple centred by a figure of Hebe on a stepped circular base terminating on claw feet. The table is estimated at €5,000-€8,000.
Brian Maguire – Rainforest 7, 2023. Image courtesy the artist and Kerlin Gallery
An exhibition by Brian Maguire at Triskel Christchurch in Cork runs until September 30. Entitled Then I laid the floor it is a collaboration with James Concagh (Sao Paulo) and Robert James Heishman (Chicago). Brian Maguire explained: “In 2022 James, Robert and I convened in Brazil to embark on a project called The House That Valdemar Built. This centres on a deep engagement with the self-built family home of James’ in-laws in the Jabaquara community on the outskirts of São Paulo. The aim of our meeting was to produce works that told the story of one specific family who have been discriminated against because of their migrant status of being from the Northeast of Brazil.
The exhibition’s title Then I laid the floor comes from Heishman’s film where Valdemar speaks about the original foundation and construction of his favela house. Each brick laid and floor added to the favela home of Valdemar and Valderci is a symbol of self-reliance out of necessity. It is this that Maguire, Concagh and Heishman’s respective artistic practices aim to accentuate, translate and express through a visual narrative of this family’s story that is emblematic of the spirit of their larger community.
A rare piece of early Irish furniture has been donated by benefactor David Boles to the Irish Museum of Time at Greyfriars St. in Waterford. The George I walnut and featherbanded secretaire with sycamore, cedar and marquetry is believed to have been made in Dublin c1725-30 by German asylum seeking John Kirkhoffer. Around this time Ireland benefitted greatly when highly skilled silversmiths, clock and furniture makers from Germany, Holland and France sought refuge here. The cabinet was sold at Bonhams in London last February for £22,950 (€26,847). David Boles remarked: “It will not only rhyme but also chime with history in the company of early 18th century Irish walnut and marquetry longcase clocks already on display”. Since opening just over a year ago Ireland’s first horological museum has attracted visitors from around the globe.
A limited edition of Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev illustrated by Bono comes up at de Veres current online auction of Irish and international art and 20th century design now open for bidding. Lot 110, number 33 from an edition of 200, comprises a set of six lithograph sheets (one signed) and a CD performed by Gavin Friday. The estimate is €500-€700. The sale offers a selection of design furniture by makers like Willy Rizzo, Charles and Ray Eames, Fendi and Roche Bobois including armchairs, dining tables, chairs, cabinets, desks and lamps. There is a selection of affordable art from a variety of artists including Hughie O’Donoghue, Michael Coleman, Gwen O’Dowd, Ciaran Lennon, Patrick Collins, Tony O’Malley, William Crozier, Corban Walker, Tim Goulding and Charles Tyrrell among 168 lots in total. Bidding starts to close from 2 pm on July 18. UPDATE: THIS MADE 500 AT HAMMER
A bronze Art Deco water feature at Victor Mee. UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,000 AT HAMMER
A bird bath held by a crouching Art Deco lady or a Victrola redolent of another bygone era? The choice is yours as endless summer materialises in different ways at upcoming sales by Aidan Foley at Kilcolgan, Co. Galway on July 16 and 17 and by Victor Mee in Belturbet, Co. Cavan on July 18 and 19. One off items of a type you would not happen across every day feature alongside plenty of lots that will draw bargain hunters. A Georgian bow fronted sideboard with an estimate of just €300-€500 comes up at Kilcolgan and an attractive composition wall sundial decorated with a lion mask at Victor Mee is estimated at just €60-€120.
A Victrola gramophone at Aidan Foley’s sale. UPDATE: THIS MADE 70 AT HAMMER
With everything from a pair of brass Gothic style candlesticks, two heavy metal swan jardinieres, a vintage Tiffany style ceiling light and a pair of carved African figures at estimates ranging from €30 to €450 the sale at Kilcolgan caters to a wide variety of interests. Aidan Foley promises a good selection of art headed by a small pencil sketch by Jack B. Yeats of Galway Races with an estimate of around €2,000. There is art by painters from Graham Knuttel to Markey Robinson, Marie Carroll, Sean O’Sullivan and Ivan Sutton.
A 19th century cast iron fountain at Victor Mee. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,800 AT HAMMER
Victor Mee’s summer garden sale of 648 lots boasts a selection of unique and statement garden pieces. The most expensively estimated lots are bronzes of horses, foals, stags, seated lions along with an early 20th century French moulded stone gazebo with a wrought iron top and corinthian columns. These are all in the €6,000 and €8,000 up range but the choice is wide.There is, for example, a Lutyens three seater teak garden bench with an estimate of €500-€800, a bronze model of a baby snail (€300-€500), copper wall lanterns (€250-€450), an Art Deco limestone planter (€300-€600) and a cast aluminium bird bath (€80-€160). There are tables, chairs, planters, benches, wrought iron gates, acorn topped finials, urns, iron railings, moulded sandstone avenue lamps with copper lights and a cut Italian wall fountain with a lion mask among a big selection on offer. Both sales are now on view and the catalogues are online.
George II giltwood mirror. UPDATE: THIS MADE 10,000 AT HAMMER
This fine George II giltwood mirror is among the top lots at Fonsie Mealy’s three day sale of fine art, antiques and collectibles in Castlecomer on August 1, 2 and 3. The estimate is €8,000-€12,000. It was originally at Easton Neston in Northamptonshire and last changed hands at auction at Sotheby’s in London in 2005. It comes up as lot 820 out of a total of 1,292 lots of furniture, paintings, silver, militaria, jewellery, Oriental ceramics and a wide variety of collectibles. The catalogue is online and there will be viewing in Castlecomer on July 30 and 31.
