The winter art sale season in Dublin – online this year – kicks off this evening at Whyte’s, followed tomorrow by de Veres and on Wednesday at James Adam. These auctions, coupled with an online sale of affordable Irish art by Morgan O’Driscoll this evening, have never been more accessible. All you need these days is a computer and if 2020 has demonstrated anything it is that this does not bother buyers in the slightest. It promises to be a busy few days for Irish art with buyers out in force for an appetising and wide ranging selection across all price points.
Bog Farm by Norah McGuinness at Whyte’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE 19,000 AT HAMMER
Millions of euro work of Irish art is due to come under the hammer at four pre-Christmas sales by Morgan O’Driscoll (November 23); Whyte’s (December 7); de Veres (December 8) and James Adam (December 9). More than 560 lots will come under the hammer at these sales. It is a mark of the improving condition of the Irish art market that no less than nine of them have estimates in excess of 100,000. Predictably the front runners are Jack B. Yeats, William Orpen, Walter Osborne, Paul Henry and William Scott. These stellar artists notwithstanding the upcoming sales offer an appetising selection by a wide variety of artists across all price points. The number of works with high estimates recalls an oft quoted phrase of modernising Irish Taoiseach Sean Lemass in the 1960’s – “a rising tide lifts all boats”. Irish art values are once again on the up and not before time.
William Scott CBE RA, (1913-1989 STILL LIFE WITH FRYING PAN (1946) (200,000-300,000) at de Veres UPDATE: THIS MADE 200,000 AT HAMMER
Should Dublin move to Level 3 lockdown – as seems likely – it might mean that some upcoming auctions will be postponed. One of the biggest of the up and comings is Whyte’s Irish and International Art Auction scheduled to take place on September 28. This sale will be postponed if Dublin moves to Level 3, which prevents all indoor gatherings apart from weddings and funerals. UPDATE: THIS SALE HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 19.
ALAMEDA DE HERCULES, SEVILLA, 1892 by SIR JOHN LAVERY RA RSA RHA (1856-1941) is lot 24 at Whyte’s
In the Woods at Marley by Evie Hone is Lot 19 at the James Adam sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin on September 2. The watercolour is estimated at 2,500-3,500. This is the re-scheduled 2020 Spring Sale which was to have taken place on March 25. There are paintings and sculpture from a variety of Irish collections and the catalogue is online.
Evie Hone HRHA (1894-1955) In the Woods at Marley. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 2,000 AT HAMMER
THE annual Irish Art sale at Sotheby’s on September 9 carries the highest combined pre-sale value since the reintroduction of dedicated Irish art sales in London in 2015. The sale, including property from the collection of Sir Michael Smurfit, comprises 60 lots and is estimated to bring in the region of £3.2 million. There will be public exhibitions at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin from August 27-30 by appointment, and in London from September 4. Among the highlights from outside the 18 works from the Smurfit collection is The Dreamer by Gerard Dillon.
Gerard Dillon, The Dreamer, oil on board, circa 1956-57. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £378,000
Irish artists like Liam O’Neill, Kenneth Webb, Colin Middleton and Mildred Ann Butler feature at an online sale by Gormleys Auctions which runs until June 2. Included are Smithfield Market and Castle Street, Dalkey by Liam O’Neill, each estimated at 9,000-11,000.
The catalogue for the online auction of Irish art now underway at de Veres in Dublin is online. Most lots are estimated at under 1,000 euro. The sale runs to February 11.
Michael Cullen b.1946 BATHERS, LA PELOSA, SARDINIA (watercolour) . UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
An online auction of Irish art by Morgan O’Driscoll runs until the evening of January 20. Artists featured include Mark O’Neill, James Humbert Craig, John Shinnors, Melanie le Brocquy, Patrick O’Reilly, Markey Robinson and many more. The catalogue, with 259 lots in total, is online.
MARK O’NEILL (B.1963) – Summer Floral II (2019) . UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,200 AT HAMMER
Turf Cutting by Letitia Marion Hamilton is one a number of unsold lots from Whyte’s Irish art sale on December 2 now on offer as part of Art for Christmas at Whyte’s on Molesworth St. in Dublin. A selection of art is now available at Whyte’s galleries, which will remain open until December 23. Estimated in the auction at 10,000-15,000 Turf Cutting is priced at 12,500 including commission and VAT on commission. Offers are invited and will be transmitted to the owners.
