Pioneering modernists Jellett and Hone on view and on sale

The current National Gallery exhibition will undoubtedly bring more attention to works by two 20th-century trailblazers in Irish art.

Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone – The Art of Friendship, is the spring/summer exhibition at the National Gallery, comprising of 90 works of paintings, stained glass and drawings by these pioneering modernists. The exhibition explores the “early convergences and later divergencies in their styles”, and their shared experiences of studying in Paris during the 1920s. Interestingly, many of the works on display are borrowed from private collections (it must be quite prestigious to loan your paintings to an exhibition in the National Gallery).

Evie Hone piece at Morgan O’Driscoll’s auction is entitled Abstract Composition with an estimate of €8,000-€12,000. Photograph: Phil Pound

Coinciding with the exhibition, there are works by Evie Hone for sale at two upcoming auctions – Morgan O’Driscoll’s Irish Art Auction, which closes on Monday from 6.30pm-9.45pm, and Sheppard’s Irish and International Art auction on Wednesday, May 14th at 7pm online and in person.

Evie Hone's cubist composition study for a stained glass window at Sheppard's Irish and International Art auction (€3,000-€5,000).

The Evie Hone piece at Morgan O’Driscoll’s auction is entitled Abstract Composition, and has an estimate of €8,000-€12,000. Her piece at Sheppard’s is a cubist composition study for a stained glass window (€3,000-€5,000). There is also a Floral Study by Mainie Jellett at the O’Driscoll auction (€800-€1,200).

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Floral Study by Mainie Jellett at Morgan O’Driscoll auction (€800-€1,200).

Fans of Hone and Jellett may be interested in a talk by artists Susan Connolly and Brian Fay about the influence Jellett has had on their work. This will take place on Thursday, May 15th at 6.30 pm in the National Gallery.

Meanwhile, coincidentally, aquatint etchings created by Irish artist Sean Scully appear in both the O’Driscoll auction, and the Lot 100 Contemporary Art sale, online until May 20th.

Liliane #7 (O’Driscoll’s) by Irish artist, Sean Scully has an estimate of €5,000-€7,000 at Morgan O'Driscoll's Irish Art online auction. Photograph: Phil Pound

According to Ken Madden of Lot 100, this series of aquatints from 2010 were among the most personal works created by Scully, just after the birth of his son, Oisin. “Named after his wife, artist Liliane Tomasko, they capture a new chapter in Scully’s life and reflect the relationships, feelings and emotions… at this time,” says Madden. Liliane #1 (Lot 100) and Liliane #7 (O’Driscoll’s) each have an estimate of €5,000-€7,000.

Lot 100 is selling Dancing at Lismore Castle, Ireland by American artist, Dale Chihuly (€3,000-€5,000) in their upcoming Contemporary Art May Sale.

The American artist, Dale Chihuly spent some time at Lismore Castle in Co Waterford in 1995, as part of his preparation for his ambitious project of glass chandeliers to be hung at 15 locations around Venice the following year. While in Ireland, Chihuly worked with local glassmakers at Waterford Crystal, adding colour to the Irish crystal glass. He also travelled to glass factories in Finland, Mexico and Italy, and his subsequent project, Chihuly Over Venice, was a striking three-dimensional addition to this already richly adorned city (Chihuly.com). Now, Lot 100 is selling a Chihuly painting, Dancing at Lismore Castle, Ireland (€3,000-€5,000), which he completed during his stay in Lismore.

The Sheppard and Morgan O’Driscoll auctions also have a wide range of works by established artists working during the turn of the 20th century, as well as the generation of artists which followed them. Contemporary pieces by sculptors such as Rowan Gillespie, John Behan, Catherine Delaney, Conor Fallon, and Markey Robinson – who is perhaps better known for his representational paintings than his sculptures – are also included.

A life-size bronze horse by Anthony Scott (€30,000-€50,000) is perhaps one of the most stand-out piece of sculpture for sale at Sheppard’s Irish and International Art auction.

A life-size bronze horse by Anthony Scott (€30,000-€50,000) is one of the stand-out pieces of sculpture for sale at Sheppard’s, while Morgan O’Driscoll says that the work of Taiwanese artist, Chiu Ya-tsai is very popular at the moment. His painting, Female Profile (€30,000-€50,000), is one of the 250 lots in O’Driscoll’s auction.

Taiwanese artist, Chiu Ya-tsai's painting, Female Profile (€30,000-€50,000) is one of the 250 lots in Morgan O’Driscoll’s auction. Photograph: Phil Pound

Finally, film prop rental companies and theatre set managers may be interested in Sheppard’s auction of items from a former private museum dedicated to Irish transport and rural life on Tuesday, May 13th.

The auction has everything from a 1949 Ford Anglia two-door car (€4,000-€6,000), to a Marston Landau carriage - circa 1908 – (€8,000-€12,000), to a 19th-century penny farthing bicycle (€4,000-€6,000). There is also a wide range of vintage household and gardening utensils and tools and 19th- and 20th-century vernacular Irish furniture – chairs, tables, cabinets, kitchen dressers, spongeware pottery, etc – which would fit well into many period dramas.

The public can view the items from the Transport Museum Collection between Saturday, May 10th and Monday, May 12th from 11am-4pm across two locations, depending on lot number, in Rathcoole, Dublin (D24 XP52) and Durrow, Co Laois (R32 FN88). The sale itself will take place live and online at Sheppard’s Durrow auction rooms, starting from 10am on Tuesday, May 13th.

Vintage vehicle enthusiasts in Wexford, Wicklow and Carlow should also keep an eye out for the Rolls Royce Ghost Club tour from May 11th-16th, as Irish Georgian Society London members travel through these counties visiting country houses en route.

Nationalgallery.ie; morganodriscoll.com; sheppards.ie; lot100.ie