Christie's Irish Art Sale

Works by some of Ireland’s most celebrated artists - including Le Brocquy, Lavery and Paul Henry - are on display in Dublin just weeks before going under the hammer. Sourced from private collections all over the world, almost 170 pieces will be auctioned at the annual Irish Art Sale at Christie’s in London on May 8. Bernard Williams, International Director of Irish Art at Christie’s, said this year’s annual auction offers an impressive selection of works representing 250 years of Irish art. But he said with local sales rooms now putting pressure on international auction houses, more rare works are being sourced worldwide. “Christie’s international leadership of the art market has once again seen us source works from around the world,” he said. “There is a significant number of market-fresh consignments from America, Canada and Australia which are in Ireland for the first time in many years.” Among the pieces on show in Dublin is Henry’s Showery Day on the Bog, which Mr Williams brought on a Greyhound bus and Amtrak passenger train from New Hampshire to New York, where a shortage of taxis then forced him to carry the painting on a rickshaw. Since Christie’s staged its first annual sale dedicated to Irish Art in 1996, world record prices have been paid at auction for a number of leading artists including George Barret, Gerard Dillon, JB Yeats, Henry, Lavery and Thomas Roberts. The sale is expected to realise in excess of €4.5m. (For full source and full article click the Headline). Irish Art