Whytes irish art auctioneers online auctions bidding

Detail from a portrait of Jim O'Driscoll by Mick O'Dea

A COLLECTION OF OUTSTANDING QUALITY AND RARITY

Whyte’s Important Irish Art auction on Monday May 31 is the most highly anticipated art auction of 2010, presenting an exceptional selection of outstanding works from the collection of the late Jim O’Driscoll SC. A passionate patron of the arts with superior taste, Jim O’Driscoll was a staunch supporter of avant-garde Irish art for over four decades and his sizeable collection reflects not only a gifted and discerning eye for quality but it traces the developing trends in Irish art through a very personal journey.

Among the highlights from the Jim O’Driscoll Collection are works by Gerard Dillon, Nano Reid, Francis Bacon, Charles Tyrrell, Tony O’Malley, Brian Bourke, Patrick Scott, Louis le Brocquy, William Crozier, John Shinnors, Brian King and Conor Fallon to name but a few. Many of these works were previously loaned to galleries and institutions for important exhibitions in public galleries and museums and are therefore of the utmost importance within the contemporary tradition of Irish painting. Others were purchased directly from the artists by Jim O’Driscoll who became a personal friend of many of them.

If one was to pick just one work from this collection it might well be Gerard Dillon’s Magic In The Sky [Lot 3, estimated at €20,000-€30,000], whichis a particularly significant and much recorded work which was exhibited at the artist’s Retrospective Exhibition at the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin in 1973. Dr. Riann Coulter, curator of the ‘Nano Reid and Gerard Dillon’ exhibition this year, emphasises this painting’s importance, noting that this work represents perhaps the only image where both artist and alter ego (Pierrot) appear together. She interprets Magic In The Sky as a visual record of Dillon’s acceptance of his own mortality. Important works by Dillon’s contemporary Nano Reid include Pub at Night and Taking Home the Fish[Lot 1 and 4 respectively, each estimated at €5,000-€7,000] both variously exhibited from 1950s to 1990s.

A contemporary work from Louis le Brocquy’s oeuvre can be found in Being, 1998 [Lot 25, estimated at €18,000-€25,000]. This chapter in his career was born out of a previous concern with the human condition which manifested itself in his Presence Series dating from 1956 to 1966. Shown at his ‘Human Images’ exhibition in the Taylor Galleries in 1998, this delicate workrepresents the artist at his best in the medium of watercolour.

In addition to the Jim O’Driscoll Collection, superior works from other estates and private collections include the exciting discovery, made during Whyte’s Belfast valuation day in January, of a Paul Henry oil painting. Turn of the Road, 1941, [Lot 130, estimated at €60,000-€80,000] was previously “untraced or unidentified” by Henry expert Dr. S.B. Kennedy. It was seen publicly only once before at the Combridge Gallery in autumn 1941, when Henry’s works were received with acclaim. Thankfully this very significant painting has resurfaced and provides Dr. Kennedy with the opportunity to expertly catalogue it for this sale.

Among the other artists that will feature strongly in the auction are: Daniel O’Neill, Jack B. Yeats, Mainie Jellett, Basil Ivan Rákóczi, Harry Kernoff, George Campbell, Seán Keating, Norah McGuinness, Patrick Scott, Cecil King, Seán McSweeney, Neil Shawcross, Michael Mulcahy, Hughie O’Donoghue, Robert Ballagh, Basil Blackshaw, Edward Delaney, Patrick Graham, Richard Kingston, John Cronin, Ciarán Lennon, Martin Gale, Markey Robinson, Ivan Sutton and Kenneth Webb.

I do hope you will enjoy viewing this sale. As always the Whyte’s team – myself, Sarah and Adelle will be on hand to inform and advise you. If you are unable to attend the auction you can watch and listen to the sale, and bid live on line at www.liveauctioneers.com
Ian Whyte
May, 2010

THE COLLECCTION OF JIM O’DRISCOLL SC
An introduction by Nuala Fenton
This impressive collection of works offers quite an overview of recent Irish art. Jim O' Driscoll had personal qualities which make his collection of Irish art rare and special. As a barrister his life spanned from his main practice in Dublin through Cork and Limerick (the Munster circuit) and down to West Cork (traditional home of the O'Driscolls, and another stronghold of visual art.) He was deeply embedded in the Irish art world: his friendships with artists and those who worked in the field gave him a particular access to the best of what was created. As a cross section of Irish art over the last thirty years, his is an outstanding collection. All the masters in Irish art from the eighties and nineties are well represented here, although some of the paintings, for example those by Patrick Collins, Gerard Dillon, Cecil King and Nano Reid, come from an earlier generation.

There is no overestimating Jim and Marion O'Driscoll's support to the arts in Ireland and the importance generally of private collectors and their patronage to contemporary artists. A hum of excitement would go around when Jim was spotted at a show. A very familiar face on the Irish art scene, Jim would pop up at the Taylor, at IMMA, and at galleries in West Cork; wherever there was good art to be experienced. At commercial exhibitions he frequently made the first and the pluckiest selection, which was essential in getting the ball rolling. His support was important for the venues.

He was a Director of the Fenton gallery in Cork for ten years and he visited every exhibition we held. His interest in an exhibition also meant that he spoke about the work widely to others, and his enthusiasm probably helped generate many extra sales. He enjoyed exercising his critical faculties and was legendary amongst his legal peers for the strength of his views on art - generally expressed with his own special mischievous humour.

Jim was also a personal friend to many of these artists. He had quite a privileged knowledge of how an artist's work was progressing. He was, for example, an important early supporter and fan of Tony O'Malley. I remember having lunch with Jim and Marion at Tony and Jane's, around 1990. We enjoyed lots of chat and wine under the wisteria arbour before heading down the garden for a thorough studio visit. His choice of O'Malley’s paintings was particularly discerning. Jim was interested to discover the best work in any given exhibition and keen to engage opinions on this. Talking with an artist about their work helped to inform his final selection. There was always dialogue and discussion, which reminds us of his profession as a barrister. As is clear from this catalogue, one piece was rarely enough. Fascination and passion were at play here, as well as a deep, genuine engagement. What is it about the legal profession that creates such distinguished art collectors? His response to and choice of work mattered to artists. Charles Tyrrell dedicated his recent Taylor exhibition to Jim's memory. His Cork connections created a strong link with artists in that region, in particular with Maurice Desmond who became a significant figure in the development of Jim's interest in art. Jim and Marion were also close friends of William Crozier and his wife Katharine. Jim O' Driscoll's personality is powerfully imprinted on this collection; it has a determined and interesting direction and is of outstanding quality. Sculpture did not scare him nor did he shrink from dark, moody, or oblique, challenging choices. This approach was, I believe, quite influential in the development of a whole generation of engaged, courageous collectors in this country. Marion and their children supported Jim in this quest... or was it a happy addiction? I wonder will the art bug take hold in the next generation with the same vigour.

One point should be made about Jim and his wife Marion: they were always the greatest fun. At any gathering one gravitated towards them. He could really deal in a bit of banter. That humour and youthful vivacity is not unrelated to the very energy which created one of the most exciting contemporary private Irish art collections of our time.

Nuala Fenton
Founder of the Fenton Gallery, Cork and former Exhibitions Officer at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork May, 2010

Provenance of works in this collection:

Where known we have given the gallery from which a work was purchased. In many cases Jim O’Driscoll purchased works directly from the artists concerned.

PHILIP DE WILDE (1936-2010)

We regret to report the untimely and unexpected death of our dear friend and colleague Phil Wilde on 8 May last at his home in Cardiff. Phil was one of the leading philatelic auctioneers in the world and established a formidable reputation as a buyer of stamps and postal history in North America, Europe and South Africa in the 1970s and 80s. He also was a knowledgeable collector of marine and equestrian art, silver vertu and miniatures, as well as a well known national hunt racehorse owner, with ten horses in training at the time of his death. He only retired from the auction rostrum last year, having run Western Auctions in Cardiff for over 50 years. He was a very useful rugby player in his youth, playing for Glamorgan Wanderers – of which he was onetime President - and Young Wales. He was a non executive director of Whyte’s for the past ten years, and a great friend and confidant of Ian Whyte’s since the 1970s. He will be sadly missed by all his many friends in Britain, Ireland, the USA, South Africa and elsewhere in the world. Our deepest sympathies go to his family.

Whyte’s News