Works by John Luke, Barrie Cooke and Eva Hamilton feature in upcoming Irish art sales

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As we enter into the final six weeks before Christmas, auction houses across Ireland are hoping to lure in buyers with large auction catalogues filled with landscape, portrait, still life and abstract paintings by Irish artists from the 19^th to the 21^st century.

Some experts suggest choosing works by well-established dead artists, whose paintings will hold their value (Jack B Yeats, Paul Henry, Roderic O’Conor among others). Others advise people to pursue works by living artists (John Shinnors, John Doherty and others), some of which will increase in value in the future.

Whichever route you choose, browsing several catalogues and checking the prices paintings have fetched previously is a good start. And delve into the detail of the artist’s career to discover when they were most prolific, or when they changed their style and subject matter, and what impact this had on prices. Reputable auctioneers are always happy to engage with prospective buyers on these issues.

Remember too, that it’s not all about cost, but about having a painting on your wall that you will enjoy for years to come. If your purchase is a gift, it’s a good idea to browse online catalogues in advance with the recipient of your gift, to understand their preferences in styles, subject matter and indeed, most of all, artists.

Morgan O’Driscoll’s online auction of Irish art – ending on Monday, November 24th from 6.30pm – is a good place to start. With a broad range of paintings by artists from the 19^thcentury to the 21^st century, viewing these paintings is a brief art history lesson in itself.

Still Life with Pumpkin by Martin Mooney (€4,000-€6,000) and In the Kitchen by Geraldine O’Neill (€3,000-€5,000), seem to capture the seasonal mood of spending time indoors. Barrie Cooke’s Glacier 1 (€5,000-€7,000), although painted in 1990, could be interpreted as a bold statement on climate change. And Peter Pearson’s West Wind, Dublin Bay (€600-€900), will appeal to those living along this stretch of the east coast.

Whyte’s auction of Important Irish Art on December 1st has more than 140 lots, which, when taken together, are valued at €1.2 million. In advance of the live and online auction, the auctioneers draw our attention to the work by some lesser known artists such as Belfast artist and art teacher, John Luke (1906-1975). His painting, The Dead Tree (€100,000-€150,000) is one of his early works. Another painting, of Shaw’s Bridge in south Belfast by Luke (€50,000-€70,000), is also included in the auction.

John Luke's The Dead Tree — John Luke’s The Dead Tree

A self-portrait by Eva Hamilton (1876-1960), with an estimate of €3,500-€4,500, is testament to how work by female artists are still considerably less expensive than work by their male counterparts. Hamilton was an accomplished portrait artist, and her sitters included Lady Gregory, the dramatist and folklorist who co-founded the Abbey Theatre.

The Whyte’s auction also has a significant amount of paintings by renowned Irish artists of the 20^th century, including William Scott (1913-1989), Louis le Brocquy (1916-2012), Mildred Anne Butler (1858-1941) and Frank McKelvey (1895-1974). It also has a series of watercolours by William Percy French (1854-1920), with estimates ranging from €1,500-€4,000. The sale also features two paintings by Aloysius C O’Kelly, including Women Gathering Kelp (€8,000-€12,000). Kelly is described in the Whyte’s catalogue as the most radical artist of his era by art critic Dr Niamh O’Sullivan

The Waterford-based Lot 100 is keeping to its mission to offer affordable works. In its Deck the Walls sale, which is online from November 29th to December 9th, it has a mix of paintings, sculpture, prints, vintage posters and photography by Irish and international artists.

Irish artist Gillian Hennessy’s A Quiet Place (€300-€500) and Country Road (€600-€800), are fine examples of these affordable works, as is Interieur Flamand (€300-€400), by French artist Marcel Gromaire.

And Dolan’s online Art Auction, which ends on Monday, November 24th, also has plenty of affordable art by living Irish artists.

Niall Dolan, who set up the Galway art auction house 20 years ago, also specialises in Irish whiskeys. This auction includes many bottles of vintage whiskey, including a bottle from Midleton Very Rare 20^th Anniversary limited edition series released in 2004. “Only 400 bottles were produced, making this one of the rarest bottlings from Midleton Distillery,” says Dolan. The ensemble of one bottle of whiskey, together with its signed parchment paper and two Waterford crystal whiskey tumblers, has an estimate of €4,000-€6,000.

Finally, Ross’s auctioneers in Belfast also have an online auction of Irish art from December 4th-11th, with viewing in their Belfast showrooms during that time.

Artists whose work is for sale include Paul Henry, Nathaniel Hone, Colin Middleton, Basil Blackshaw, Cecil Maguire and more.

morganodriscoll.com, whytes.ie, lot100.ie, dolansart.com, rosss.com