From time to time, auction houses handle the sale of works from a studio of a recently deceased artist. Such is the case with deVeres’ auction of the studio of Frank Phelan (1932-2023) on September 16th.
Born in Dublin, Phelan worked as a draughtsman in the capital city before emigrating to Canada with his father and brother. In the 1960s he worked in set design in London. He soon became involved with the group of artists based in St Ives in Cornwall, including Kilkenny-born Tony O’Malley. Citing Francis Bacon as his biggest influence, Phelan developed an abstract expressionist painting style and had shows in Scotland, England and Ireland. He continued to paint until his death aged 91.
“He was an interesting painter who flew below the radar at auction, and not many of his paintings came to the market,” says Rory Guthrie of deVeres. Landscape (€1,500-€2,000) and Calypso (€600-€900) are good examples of the work for sale. With more than 100 paintings for sale, going to see the work in situ is particularly worthwhile for any prospective buyer. Many of the paintings have estimates of €300-€500, which gives new collectors an opportunity to buy at reasonable prices. Works in The Studio of Frank Phelan will be on view at deVeres, 35 Kildare Street, Dublin 2, every day until the auction at 2pm on September 16th.
Elsewhere, there are a few auctions of Irish art on this weekend and early next week that offer enthusiasts a wide variety of work by artists from the 19th century right up to the early 21st century.
Sheppard’s Important Irish Art auction on September 15th – with in-person previews on today, tomorrow and Monday, September 14th – is an example of one such auction with landscapes, cityscapes and still-life paintings spanning the late 1800s, the 1900s and early 2000s.
The auction includes some interesting works by artists born in the 19th century, such as James Humbert Craig (1877-1944), William Conor (1881-1968) and Flora H Mitchell (1890-1973).
James Humbert Craig’s The Farm in the Glens (€5,000-€8,000) is one of a few pieces in Sheppard’s auction by the prolific Belfast-born painter, whose work sold for much higher prices in the early 2000s.
William Conor, another Belfast-born artist, was renowned for his portrayal of working-class life in Ulster, and several of his crayon and watercolour pieces are in the permanent collection of the Ulster Museum. Conor’s The Violin Player, in watercolour, ink and charcoal (€2,000-€3,000), is in Sheppard’s auction, as is Shawlie with Children, Quay Street, Skerries (€8,000-€12,000).
Flora H Mitchell is most widely appreciated for her watercolour, pen and ink sketches of the streetscapes of Dublin. Her drawing of Dame Street, Dublin (€2,000-€3,000) at Sheppard’s auction, captures the rich intact 18th-century architectural detail, including Jurys Hotel, which was at 6-8 College Green, just at the start of Dame Street, from 1839 to 1973. The hotel was demolished in 1980 to make way for the Central Bank, which was more recently moved to a new building on North Wall Quay. Mitchell was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and her 1966 book, Vanishing Dublin, with 50 coloured plates of her paintings of Dublin streets, is a valuable record of Dublin’s disappearing streetscapes.
Enthusiasts of still-life paintings should take a look at Norah McGuinness’s Still Life with Fruit (€4,000-€6,000) and Colin Stack’s Still Life of Flowers in a Vase (€600-€900).
Finally, enthusiasts of historical portraits, watercolours and drawings might be interested in donating towards a new publication by St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. In an effort to make a durable record of the art associated with the cathedral over the past 300 years, the cathedral has commissioned art historian, Dr Paul Caffrey to catalogue what is one of Ireland’s most important ecclesiastical art collections. To help with publication costs, Dean William Morton of St Patrick’s Cathedral is asking subscribers to donate €250 in return for an invite to the launch and a free copy of the book, St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Deanery: Catalogue of the Collection of Portraits, Watercolours and Drawings. Those interested should email marketings@stpatrickscathedral.ie
Sheppards.ie; deveres.ie
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Pinewood elbow chair
Estimate €200-€300
Hammer price €600
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Pinewood kitchen dresser
Estimate €800-€1,200
Hammer price Unsold
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Pine blanket box
Estimate €600-€800
Hammer price €550
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19th-century settle bed
Estimate €800-€1,200
Hammer price €650
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