The unlikely artistic trio of Paul Henry, Jack B Yeats and Michael Flatley account for the top lots in the last big Dublin art auction of 2015.
Viewing for Morgan O’Driscoll’s Irish & International Art Auction is under way at the RDS in Ballsbridge, where the auction takes place on Monday at 6pm.
The top lot is a 1949 oil by Jack B Yeats titled Business that was once in the collection of the Jefferson Smurfit Group and is estimated at €200,000-€300,000. It was consigned too late for the print catalogue but can be viewed online or at the RDS.
Killary Bay, Connemara, a mid-1920s painting by Paul Henry, is estimated at €80,000-€120,000. Despite its title, according to the catalogue notes, the image is "most probably a scene on Lough Fee, near Leenane". Henry painted many scenes of the west of Ireland – many of them very similar.
In April the auctioneer sold a painting titled The Power by Michael Flatley for € 77,500 – the top lot in the spring sale at the same venue. In July, Flatley's debut selling exhibition – in London – resulted in the sale of some 12 of his paintings for an average price of £52,000 (€74,000) each.
Monday's auction includes two further paintings by Flatley – each estimated at €30,000-€50,000 – Reflections of Positano 1 (which measures 39in by 39in); and Eye in the Sky (which measures 38in by 37in).
By coincidence, Whyte’s auction of “entertainment memorabilia” on Monday week (December 14th) in Dublin includes Lot 581: “A leather Irish dancing ‘hard’ shoe worn by Michael Flatley and signed to the toe-cap in gold felt-tip pen and to the sole in black felt-tip pen” estimated at €300-€400.
In all there are over 170 lots in the sale including paintings by Basil Blackshaw, Barrie Cooke, Patrick Hennessy, John Kingerlee, Frank McKelvey, Tony O’Malley, Mark O’Neill, Markey Robinson, John Shinnors, Liam Treacy and many others.
Earlier this week a selection of paintings in the auction was taken to London for three days of viewing at La Galleria Pall Mall.
The auctioneer is hoping to attract interest from overseas buyers, especially affluent Irish expatriates in Britain. To view the catalogue or to register for online bidding see morganodriscoll.com
